How Storytelling Drives Organisational Change

Once upon a time, in an organisation where communication was factual but uninspiring, a leader was in search of a new way to engage. Every day they were told why their change initiative wouldn’t work and no matter what they tried people didn’t get on board.

But one day, this leader stepped into a meeting with a new perspective and tried something different. They told a true story about a customer, the problem they face and how it affected them. They shared the inspiring solution this customer had suggested and painted a picture of how things could be different.

Because of this, the team built a newfound understanding of why this change was important, they understood the customer’s experience and heard themselves in the story. Until finally, the team became excited about the opportunity ahead of them, they started sharing the possibilities with others and contributed new ideas to make it happen.

 

Storytelling connects us – to each other, to purpose, to imagination. It has the potential to engage, motivate and inspire, and its essential for organisational change.

We know that change is hard. We’re hardwired for safety, so we seek to keep things the same, something known. People don’t change unless the current situation is really uncomfortable or the future opportunity incredibly compelling. Change involves disrupting established ways of thinking and working, which requires people to move through times of uncertainty. If this process is not supported then people can become disengaged, resistant, and ultimately the change will fail. Storytelling is a powerful way to bring people together and help navigate the unknowns of change.

Storytelling enables us to better imagine the situation, how it feels for someone and what the experience is. Co-founder of Buffer and storyteller Leo Widrich found that “not only are the language processing parts in our brain activated, but any other area in our brain that we would use when experiencing the events of the story are, too.”[1] With more of ourselves engaged we can relate to the situation, to people, and to the challenge.  

It opens the door for mindset shifts and learning. Lani Peterson at Harvard found that “we challenge and expand our own understanding by exploring how others see and understand the world through their lens.” [2] No change sticks without this, because ultimately change requires us to let go of old ways of thinking and working that no longer support us, so that we can embrace the possibilities that are emerging.

As a guide and educator, when I notice participants looking a little confused, disengaged, or in a state of wondering, I know it’s time to pull out a story as an example. So, I’ll tell something like this… “When I was facilitating change at the local university, staff wanted to be consulted on every decision, but they didn’t have time to contribute. Also, it was unclear who should actually be making the calls. So, we built a clearer picture of the situation. We mapped out the key activities and confirmed which team was leading each activity operationally. We also identified which team(s) were caretaking the guiding policies and rules for that activity. We shared and refined the map with stakeholders which involved some debate, and required some teams to give over some responsibility and some to step up. But the process enabled everyone to get really clear on who was actually empowered with the authority to decide. Now, we could engage in a much more meaningful and transparent way.” When I share a story, I immediately see people’s faces change, they’re listening in a different way, theory becomes reality, and they can better imagine and relate this to themselves.

We live in a time with diverse perspectives, uncertainty, and a lot of people have experienced change that doesn’t live up to what’s been promised. Stories can bridge this gap. It gives us a way to build belief by hearing and seeing a path forward. We find common ground in the reason why we’re doing something. We build trust in the stories of lessons learned and hope in the vision of a better place. It helps us connect dots, find common ground and collectively embrace the future.

 

So, how do we do craft narratives that engage people?

It can be as simple as switching a fact or event into a narrative. E.g. Instead of ‘Uber started in 2008 to enable ride-sharing’, how about ‘On a cold winters night in Paris, Travis Kalanick and Garret Camp couldn’t get a cab. This sparked the question “what if you could request a ride from your phone?” That’s when the idea for Uber was born.’[3]

Like any good story it needs to be:

• relatable and clear,
• involve a problem that needs solving, and
• paint a picture of a new path ahead. 

One way you can craft a story is using the Pixar Pitch[4], this is how this article began, and it goes like this:

Once upon a time < insert customer / background >
Every day < problem / opportunity >
One day < idea >
Because of that < benefits >
Until finally < outcome >

Stories can be about past success, the vision, personal stories of customers – you - experts. They can highlight lessons learned, values, culture, purpose. They effectively share a way through something, a pathway that’s relatable.

You can incorporate stories in so many ways - meetings, training, materials, presentations, chats at the water cooler.

To bring storytelling into your communication - understand your story, make it clear and concise, honour the past, share a persuasive reason for change, layout the path forward.

Storytelling draws us in, helps us to relate to a situation and connect with emerging possibilities. It helps us move to new ways of working and relating, letting go of old modes of thinking. Storytelling is a way of communicating, so this year get clear on your story and start telling it.

 

Keen to learn more about Storytelling and how to incorporate it into your role? 

 

This piece was written by Krista Pritchard, a seasoned Business Analyst and Skills DG Agile Facilitator. Krista brings over 18 years of change, strategy, business analysis and consulting experience. Specialising in facilitation and training she always finds fresh ways to engage her audience to aid new understanding and insight. Helping people to discover the pathway for change.