The other day, I came across a great article written by Doug Lipman, called Seven Opportunities You’re Missing if You’re Not Using the Power of Storytelling in Your Business.
As you know, I my book 4 Secrets of High Performing Organizations, I point out that successful businesses have four things in common.
· Successful businesses develop and communicate a clarity of purpose and direction.
· Successful businesses enlist the sincere engagement and commitment of everyone in the organization.
· Successful businesses skillfully execute the things that matter.
· Successful businesses build lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with important outside constituencies.
I have found that storytelling can:
· Reinforce a company’s clarity of purpose.
· Build employee engagement and commitment by making the business come alive to everyone inside the organization.
· Enhance execution by highlighting how to do and how not to certain things.
· Build external relationships by making the business come alive to people outside the organization.
Mr. Lipman lists seven opportunities for savvy leaders and business owners to use storytelling to build their organization. Here is a brief summary. Stories create the opportunity to:
· Communicate complex truths simply.
· Convey information in a memorable way.
· Bring company values to the forefront of daily life.
· Sell yourself by conveying your identity.
· Deal with conflicts efficiently.
· Give feedback less threateningly.
· Take charge of meaning.
As he says, “if you don’t tell your story, someone else will”.
Mr. Lipman lists a bonus opportunity of storytelling – manage crises and change.
I have a .pdf of this article. I will send it to you if you send me an e mail requesting it. Please send your e mails to Bud@BudBilanich.com and put “Story Telling Article” in the subject line.
Mr. Lipman has a lot of interesting things to say about the power of stories in business. His website is: www.storydynamics.com.
To me the use of stories in business is just common sense. All of our lives, we’ve learned from stories. I agree with Mr. Lipman, leaders and business owners who don’t harness the power of stories are missing out on a great opportunity to build their business.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense. Check out my other blog: www.SuccessCommonSense.com for common sense advice on becoming the career and life success you are meant to be.
I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Bud
PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open. Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.
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