Comments on: The Business Case for Storytelling

By: Michael Margolis

Michael Margolis — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 09:32:23 +0000

Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I'm all for thinking and learning in narrative. Yet equally working through lots of employee narratives is not an easy process to manage. Especially at a large scale. So I think there's a place for quant and qualitative data. Even with numbers, its the story behind the numbers that matters.

By: Midge Miles

Midge Miles — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 03:14:13 +0000

I found the story prompts under Perception particularly applicable to leadership teams who know there is a disconnect between themselves and staff. Sometimes it's the executive group, other times it's management but either way the folks know something's not good. They may already be aware of the storylines about them being passed around the organization - in hushed voices of course. But it is a rare leadership team that actually sets out to learn how the folks are genuinely perceiving them - AND - they are willing to face the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The questions you pose in this section, Michael, would be excellent areas of focus for any serious story-research. Paraphrasing a line from the New Testament, "Who do you say we are?"

What usually happens is that a boring employee survey is prepared in a predictable
left-brain format with predictable statements to which the employees respond: I strongly agree, I agree, I disagree, I strongly disagree. Then the apprpriate numbered responses are tallied and whamo! Here's your answer, leaders!
NOT!

Would it take more time for employees to respond in narrative form to the narrative questions above? Sure. More valuable than checking the number aside each statement? Is the North Pole cold? A narrative lens will yield narrative responses: when we genuinely want to hear how our story is told by others, quantitative statements will never bring us to a place of meaning and true learning.

By: louhoffman

louhoffman — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:31:44 +0000

Will do. Thanks. Lou

By: Michael Margolis

Michael Margolis — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:20:48 +0000

Thanks Lou. I'd be most grateful. Please include the following attribution: “Michael Margolis from Get Storied (http://www.getstoried.com)”

By: louhoffman

louhoffman — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:24:52 +0000

Michael,

Great post.

Like the way you define the proposition as context + perception = value.

Are you o.k. with me republishing this post on my blog?

Lou

By: OUTSIDE THE MARGIN » WHO KILLED THE CORPORATE ANNUAL REPORT?

OUTSIDE THE MARGIN » WHO KILLED THE CORPORATE ANNUAL REPORT? — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:00:47 +0000

[...] of storytelling in marketing, advertising and public relations for both B2C and B2B campaigns. (The Business Case for Storytelling: Get Storied) Audiences are responding positively to companies that are talking directly to customers (or [...]

By: Michael Margolis

Michael Margolis — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:01:16 +0000

Jazzman91 -

Storytelling is like fortunetelling. The story you choose determines potential outcomes. That said, as a storyteller – you're forever at the mercy of your audience to choose to embrace, reject, or interpret your story as they see fit. So beyond just passion, relevance and believability are key to seeing any story take hold within mainstream reality.

By: Michael Margolis

Michael Margolis — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:58:38 +0000

Diane – thanks for sharing your interests on here. I'm working on building more community sharing platforms in the months ahead. In the meantime, I have a new upcoming e-course on personal branding, social media, and storytelling to start in May. Announcement to go out shortly.

By: jazzmann91

jazzmann91 — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:45:03 +0000

My dream answers:
* What is your unique value proposition?
Together we can have Peace
* What do you offer that no one else does?
Be a global citizen in a whole new game.
* How are you different from other alternatives?
We all like freedom and democracy, but we need a set of choices that are more than evil and lesser evil. I want to add more choice to our parties. The game is on, soon.
* What distinguishes the experience of working with you?
I'm a big crazy cheerleader with a side of mountain guru.
* What makes you indispensable?
I am the wizard. Protector of the spell that brings peace to the kingdom, but even I am not indispensable. The story will tell itself, with or without me.

Thanks for writing! I really appreciate your point of view. Having found myself wrapped up in a fairy tale I'm now trying to translate that into my business, but I'm having issues with my fellow characters that keep distracting me. Have you ever written yourself into a role that you can't handle?

What do you think of prophetic adaptation? Adapt to the story that is already there and ride it to a new end. Is it dangerous for businesses to get into dream land or is that where success is hidden?

By: jazzmann91

jazzmann91 — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:45:03 +0000