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January 28th, 2008
Five "stories" to engage your employees
"Leadership essentially is a task of persuasion – of winning hearts and minds," according to Stephen Deming, the author of The Leader's Guide to Storytelling. And isn't that what engagement is all about – winning the hearts and minds of our employees so that they're willing to give that discretionary effort?
Powerful engagement tool
Storytelling is one of the most powerful engagement tools that an organization can exercise. Go to a town hall or a meeting and think about what you remember most. It's often the story that someone told. It's the story that either sparks your interest, illuminates a truth or creates an emotional connection for you.
Start by practicing storytelling yourself and then encourage others in your organization to do the same. If you're looking for ideas on what stories to tell, here are five different types to consider:
- Who am I?
This is a story that helps people get to know you a little better on a personal level. It "lets people in" and helps to build trust.
- Why am I here?
What was the proudest moment that you've had at work? By letting people know why you choose to work for your organization, you can build pride in others as well.
- Cautionary business tales
If your organization is going through a difficult time, telling stories about similar experiences in the past, can help employees understand what they need to do or what it will take to get to the other side of the challenge.
- Reassurance
Likewise, if times are tough, telling stories about how individuals or the organization have triumphed over adversity in the past can be very uplifting and encouraging.
- Vision and values in action
Don't just talk about your values – tell stories that illustrate how people have brought the values to life through their actions.
In the next issue, we'll talk more about what makes a powerful and memorable story. In the meantime, start telling stories more frequently and watch for the powerful connection you make with your audience!
Chris Gay
Partner, Bridge Consulting
engagement@melcrum.com
Need help with your internal communication planning? Strategic planning for internal communicators is the new practitioner’s guide from Melcrum that gives you this and more. It’s a practical toolkit that you can use to start the planning process immediately, including examples of real-world implementation at Adobe, HP-Compaq, Symantec, Owens Corning and Royal Bank of Canada. |
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