Managing options

Who tell stories to the outside world about the heart and soul of a company and what it's really like? Employees are among an organization's greatest brand champions. If employees aren't happy, customers won't be, either.

 

I love this quick piece by Kathy Klotz-Guest full of sound wisdom. You can't tell effective biz stories in the marketplace if the culture of your company culture contradicts your stories. Why? Because stories build trust and if you are not 'walking your talk' you can't build trust.

 

The story shared in this post is a gem and perfectly illustrates the point of the article. I am sure I will be sharing this with my corporate clients so they really 'get it.'

 

It's great when marketing comes up with fab stories to share about the company's products/services. But the BEST kind of stories come from employees themselves. That's why the best business storytelling is from the 'inside out' as this article advocates.

 

No matter if you are a micro-entrepreneur or a mega enterprise -- the inside and outside gotta match.

 

Well of course, that begs the next question: how do we gather employee stories? I recommend getting a firm grasp of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as a process and tool to help you evoke those stories. If you are a solo-preneur, asking yourself AI questions can be very illuminating. As an enteprise, AI will have casdacing positive effects on your culture. Google AI and you will be deluged with resources.

 

So get busy making sure your inside and outside stories match for the best biz storytelling experiences that lead to consistent growth and raving fans.

 

Link to original article:

http://www.keepingithuman.com/blog/great-marketing-starts-inside-out-storytelling-penguins-elephants/ ;

 

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it ;

Via Karen Dietz

If you don't like how things are going, tell a different story. Sometimes strategic change just means taking something from the periphery — an anomaly, a demonstration, a small innovation — and redefining it as central.

 

Truer words could not be said!

 

When it comes to organizational storytelling, updating or rewriting a narrative is essential work sometimes. The stories we tell about ourselves and share -- whether as an enterprise, small biz, or nonprofit -- shape the results we experience. 

 

Want different results? Then shift your stories. Rewrite them (don't fabricate -- still be authentic) to emphasize different qualities. Or find new/different stories to tell altogether.

 

This is particularly important when, as the author Rosabeth Moss Kanter says, the current narratives inhibit rather than inspire.

 

This is a quick article with really good examples and important insights that I know you will enjoy.

 

So that leaves the following question on the table -- What biz stories do you carry that need to be rewritten? 

 

Read the full article here: http://blogs.hbr.org/kanter/2012/06/if-you-dont-like-your-future-r.html?awid=8310310616569395416-3271

 

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it ;

Via Karen Dietz