Telling it Like it is
Picture this: You're at a party. The food is delicious, everyone is drinking the signature cocktail of the evening, and everyone is gathered around one individual. She's in a corner of the room speaking with animation as her hands gesture in big circles. The crowd around her is four deep. You can't understand what she is saying, you can't hear her words because you can't get close enough. You know that she's telling a story, though. And it sure seems like it's a good one as the crowd is motionless and thoroughly engaged in whatever story she's telling.
The power of a good story can't be overstated. You probably remember when you were young and your parents or other caregivers told you stories. Maybe some stories about when they were your age or about an event that happened at some point in their lives. Maybe a story out of a book. You may still be able to hear the voice that told you a particular story. As an adult, you probably can think of the stories you've told, either to your children or to coworkers or to friends. Maybe you can remember reading to your children or other small child and you can nearly remember the inflection you used and maybe the "voices" of the characters in the stories.
Stories are everywhere around us. In fact, they are what binds us together. Long before there was written language and books and laws, there were shared stories that became a connecting force. Even if we did not experience the events in the story firsthand, through telling and re-te
lling, they became collective experiences that cemented our ideals and morals as a culture.
This is what makes stories so valuable as tools for culture-building, even in an organizational culture. An organization's creation story defines a shared set of values and expectations. It reflects the personality of the organization -- empowering, personal, authoritarian, etc. And it generates a sense of belonging. If the story is told well and often, it becomes a driver for an organization's growth by creating a shared sense of purpose among employees.
This is where HR can play a powerful role. By becoming a force for good organizational storytelling -- by helping the organization's employees understand, express and share in its story -- we can become even greater catalysts for organizational culture and growth.
Our one-day seminar will give you the tools you need to help your organization use the shared experiences of its employees and stakeholders to recognize and tell powerful, passionate, brand-building stories. Join us for a day. We'll feed your passion and your belly. Register on our website by going to this link:
Don't let summer slip away before registering for this powerful event!
