The Art of Storytelling in the Workplace
Once Upon A Time...
Honesty moment. Last week, I asked my kid if he knew the planets in order, he named a few but sort of got lost somewhere along the way. I think it was between Mars and Jupiter. I confidently started to list them thinking that I, a certified grown up, could easily, definitely, certainly list them in order. Dear reader, I fear I must tell you, I did not.
That is until I remembered the cute story I had been taught:
"My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas."
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.
(with Pluto no longer being considered a planet, I then found out that the story kids are learning today is "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos")
Depending on who you ask, telling a story can be anywhere from 7 to 22 times more likely to help your point stick with an audience.
Whether its stories transformed into mnemonic devices for memorizing things (like the order of planets, the order of operations, or the lines/spaces of a treble clef), classic tales that remind us to be on our best behavior ("Little Red Riding Hood" cautioning us to be wary of strangers, "The Tortoise and the Hare" reminding us that slow and steady can win the race) or a more "real life" telling that gets the point across (like when a friend of mine once told me about her experience with a fire in her apartment complex when she was in her twenties, I spent a decade paying for rental insurance because of that. I am so glad I never had to use it, but also glad I had it!)
Types of stories to look out for
You can solicit stories from just about anywhere. Internal communication channels like teams and slack , newsletters, dedicated storytelling platforms, social media platforms, customer feedback surveys, customer support interactions.
Day-in-the-life Stories These stories can then be utilized in various ways, such as onboarding new employees, showcasing company culture in marketing materials, improving employee engagement through internal communication, identifying areas for improvement in employee experience, and providing valuable insights for leadership on employee perspectives and challenges.
"As a project manager, my days are filled with a variety of challenges, from client meetings to team collaborations..."
"Working from home has its unique advantages, like the flexibility to spend time with my family while still meeting deadlines..."
"My role requires a lot of multitasking, juggling client calls, internal meetings, and urgent deadlines..."
"Aha!" Moments: Stories of sudden insights, unexpected discoveries, or innovative solutions. These showcase creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
"I was stuck on a coding problem for hours when suddenly..."
"During a brainstorming session, a surprising connection clicked..."
"We were facing an impossible deadline when a breakthrough idea emerged..."
Customer Success Stories: Stories of how the company helped customers solve problems, achieve their goals, or exceed expectations. These demonstrate the company's value proposition and build customer trust.
A customer contacted us in despair, facing a critical business challenge..."
"We recently received a heartfelt letter from a customer who..."
"Our team went above and beyond to help a customer achieve an incredible result..."
Employee Growth Stories: Stories of employee development, career progression, and personal achievements within the company. These foster a positive work environment and inspire others.
I started at this company as an intern and never imagined I would..."
"My mentor's guidance helped me overcome my fears and achieve something I never thought possible."
"This company provided me with the opportunity to develop new skills and advance my career in ways I never expected."
"Lessons Learned" Stories: Stories of both successes and failures, emphasizing the key takeaways and how to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
"We thought we had everything under control, but we soon learned a valuable lesson about..."
"This project failed, but we learned more from the failure than we ever could have from success."
"We made a critical mistake, but instead of dwelling on it, we focused on learning from it and moving forward."
Best Practices for sharing stories
Once you have the stories, it's time to think about all the ways you can leverage them.
So many stories are spread via word of mouth but get lost in the sands of time. It's just as important to have mechanisms for sharing them as it is to capture them.
Onboarding Programs: Utilize employee stories to welcome new hires and provide insights into company culture
Training Programs: Integrate employee stories into training materials to make learning more engaging and relatable.
Intranet/Company Portal: Dedicated sections for stories, a great way to retain the stories of your organization over time. I highly recommend using News Posts for these.
Company Newsletter: Including employee spotlights, success stories, and inspiring anecdotes in internal communications is an easy way to share stories and allow people to shine!
Marketing Materials: Incorporate employee stories into marketing campaigns and presentations to build customer trust.
...and they all lived happily ever after
By embracing the power of storytelling, organizations can unlock a wealth of knowledge, build stronger relationships, and create a more human and engaging workplace for all.
