How stories facilitate transformation
By Susan Williams
When do you know that a story has had an impact on people? How do you measure that impact? And how do you know which stories to use?
These are some of the questions that organizational storytellers encounter when proposing storytelling as a strategic tool for learning and for inspiring original and creative thinking.
They are tricky questions, because there is so much to consider, for instance, the situation, the reason for telling the story, the way the story is told, the facilitation of the story process, executive support and the receptiveness and open-mindedness of the participants.
When stories become instruments for transformation
The transformational power of a story is evident when a person or a group of people had been struggling with a problem for some time and the story ignited insight. This is when the typical aha! moment is experienced, eyes light up and smiles break through. When this happens it feels like sunshine bursting through a crack in dark storm clouds. The energy that is created in such an event continues to spark conversation long after the event.
Stories transform thinking when a sudden incident or crises causes a group to reconsider everything that used to work before and that is suddenly obsolete. That is when linear solutions, best practice and all preconceived ideas need to be replaced by some unknown factor, and analytical thinking need to be refueled by an intuitive, creative process. A well chosen story creates a fertile and safe space for radical thinking.
Why?
The reason is that it is difficult to catapult oneself out of the problem sphere into a creative space when a crisis is looming. But tell a story and the creative, right brain starts to make connections between the issues in the story and those around the crisis without any prompting or effort.
Stories can be short or long. Trainers have been using short, anecdotal tales and analogies for many years, achieving great successes to bring memorable messages across. However, using a story (e.g. fable, fairy tale, folk tale) as the epicenter of a workshop and solving problems within the story context, is not that commonly used. It is, though, remarkably effective.
By using the context of such a story, stepping into the characters’ roles, discussing decisions and how they affect the plot and the outcome of the story, a typical heated boardroom discussion can be transformed into dialogue where huge mind shifts take place.
How a shared story created a mind shift
I want to share an example of how a story recently used in an informal situation caused an aha! moment for the recipient.
After reading Dave Snowden’s analogy of the difference between a recipe book cook and a chef (see the link below), the story resonated in my head, because, for starters, I like cooking and exploring taste, texture and presentation (but I do read recipe books for the pleasure of it), and secondly, I am sorting out my own questions about knowledge vs wisdom, and the value of following best practices vs insights gained through the creative process.
So when I was in conversation with a client, a situation presented itself where this story just popped up. I shared it, without really thinking of the impact it would make. And I was amazed at the instant when connection took place. This was one of the incredible moments where a story took away the need to discuss a complex issue. This was a Truth moment for this specific person. However, for someone else in another situation, the story might just be a nice analogy to use in a meeting or discussion.
Measuring story impact is a tall order
Measuring the impact of the story is of a more complex nature. How can a storyteller or consultant promise a change in attitudes, financial gain or a change in direction prior to offering a workshop? It definitely depends on the experience and expertise of the workshop leader, but it remains a tough question for which I don’t have the answer yet. Is it something that can be calculated in the short term? The impact of the story relies hugely on the research and preparation done by the facilitator prior to the workshop and the openness and willingness of the workshop participants to explore uncomfortable issues that force them out of familiar thinking patterns.
Skills training versus storytelling
Compare measuring a storytelling event’s impact with that of a skills training course. Both are planned around outcomes, follow a process and are based on participation and the willingness to learn. The storytelling outcomes might be vague and abstract, such as: “after this session, we want to have more clarity about the issue xyz.”
The skills training course, on the other hand, follows specific outlines to transfer a particular skills set often based on a specific qualification standard. After the training, the trainee can now perform certain actions according to a set standard. Does this necessarily make him a better employee who can apply his skill diagonally in other situations?
Measurement is by nature a linear, analytical process even if different areas are integrated. I’m not sure that the true value of storytelling can ever be traced using linear systems.
In storytelling, a creative and intuitive process takes place where people share knowledge and insight and are willing to explore unknown or difficult territories in a facilitated environment. The knowledge gained comes from exploring issues and sharing insights through a process that is set in motion during the storytelling event, and continues independently within each person and collectively within the group for a long time after the actual event. The impact of this process is immeasurable and invaluable.
Is the whole person involved?
Storytelling is an internal, whole person process which takes place cognitively as well as at an emotional and experiential level – and at times, even at a spiritual awareness level. To my mind the question should not be how to measure the impact of the interaction linearly, but whether the whole person was involved in the storytelling act. If the answer is positive, the impact will be seen in the way employees engage with the business.
In conclusion, the amazing thing about stories is that they touch a chord that resonates within us – sometimes even against our will. And they sometimes present themselves just at the right moment.
© Susan Williams, 2009.
Knowledge at your fingertips
Finding stories in the workplace
By Susan Williams
In almost every encounter between people is a hidden story. Those stories can be personal or they can revolve around company issues. They can be positive, informative and teaching stories, or they can be negative, talking about relationships that don’t work, and providing the kind of knowledge that leads to a break-down in communications and learning. Both these kinds of stories have value when you find them: The good stories are the ones you tell to facilitate learning and employee or customer engagement and loyalty, while the negative ones are red flags that pop up to serve as warnings. They are the ones that can be compared to the iceberg’s tip, indicating a mountain of trouble hidden beneath the surface.
5 tips on finding stories
1. Listen attentively. Stories come to you when you listen – especially when you are looking for something specific, for instance those anecdotes that show engagement with the company values and vision.
2. Ask. Network with colleagues in different departments and ask specific questions – don’t be general. For instance, don’t ask for a story that embodies the company’s value of Customer focus. Ask if someone knows of a customer who was really impressed with the service experienced by an employee. Or ask if someone has a tip for handling difficult customers. It won’t be long before the stories will come pouring out.
3. Become focused on seeing history taking place in front of your eyes. If you don’t focus on finding stories, they will remain hidden.
4. Think about the deeper issues: What are the actual issues underlying employee or customer complaints? They might be value-related, or be about integrity, or weak leadership…
5. What are the feel-good stories? A job well done. Or a kind deed…
© Susan Williams, 2009
Most interesting article: David Gurteen’s Knowledge Letter http://www.gurteen.com is an excellent and entertaining source of information for those who share an interest in Knowledge Management and Storytelling. He cites a gem of a story by Dave Snowden, The chef & the recipe book user, which Snowden used as an analogy in a keynote speech. To read more, go to: http://www.cognitive-edge.com/blogs/dave/2009/11/the_chef_the_recipe_book_user.php
Most interesting online newsletter: www.fastcompany.com . The newsletter covers topics on Technology, Design, Ethonomics and Leadership. The latest buzzword seems to be ”social marketing”. Blogger David Lavenda shines some light on the topic in his blog, “How To Be Effective at Social Marketing” in FastCompany’s newsletter of 17 November.
An invitation to share
Should you wish to share some insights on relevant topics, please submit your original article for consideration to be published. You will be credited and will retain copyright for your submission.
Cherry-picked websites
Most interesting podcast: On LinkedIn Group: On-boarding – accelerating new employee transitions. Peter Clayton interviews George Selix on: Designing an Interactive Learning Environment and executive on-boarding. (http://www.linkedin.com). This podcast focuses on George Selix’s work at Sun Microsystems and the building of an interactive learning environment as well as the concept of enculturation.
Most interesting article: David Gurteen’s Knowledge Letter http://www.gurteen.com is an excellent and entertaining source of information for those who share an interest in Knowledge Management and Storytelling. He cites a gem of a story by Dave Snowden, The chef & the recipe book user, which Snowden used as an analogy in a keynote speech. To read more, go to: http://www.cognitive-edge.com/blogs/dave/2009/11/the_chef_the_recipe_book_user.php
Most interesting online newsletter: www.fastcompany.com . The newsletter covers topics on Technology, Design, Ethonomics and Leadership. The latest buzzword seems to be ”social marketing”. Blogger David Lavenda shines some light on the topic in his blog, “How To Be Effective at Social Marketing” in FastCompany’s newsletter of 17 November.
To read more, click on: http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/david-lavenda/whatever-it-takes/how-be-effective-social-marketing?
Most interesting video: I came across Dave Snowden of Cognitive Edge’s You Tube video, How to organize a children’s party on David Gurteen’s Knowledge Letter Issue 113 ( http://www.gurteen.com ). The Children's Party Story introduces the nature of systems and complexity through the use of a simple metaphor that resonates widely. http://www.cognitive-edge.com
On my reading list:
1. Frank Furedi, Invitation to Terror, Continuum, 2007. ISBN 978-0-8264-2454-9. Available on Amazon.com
Exploring the question: “Why do they hate us?” But who are they, and who are we and how do we respond to terrorism. The idea that terrorism is an existential threat is the product of society’s inability to give meaning to human experience. …Maybe we should be asking the question, ‘Why do we hate ourselves?’”
2. PG du Plessis, Fees van die Ongenooides, Tafelberg, 2008. ISBN 978-0-624-04687-5. Available at Exclusive Books and Boekehuis, Johannesburg.
A disturbingly honest historical novel about the Anglo-Boer War which explores what we believe, how we love, what we strive for, the lie within us and our memories.
Giving back
With the festive season around the corner there are many organizations looking for sponsorships and deeds of kindness.
A tip on how to spread kindness in your community or company: In our church, we have a Christmas tree decorated with cards containing specific needs and numbers instead of names. Each member of the congregation can pick a card and buy a gift for a person in need, without ever knowing his or her name. The organizers will deliver the gifts.
