Changing business culture through stories
What stories do you tell in your organisation?
Do your stories support growth and innovation or are they crab stories that diminish you and kill innovation and knowledge sharing? Stories are a great way to share and encourage knowledge and innovation. We learn easier through stories than facts and bullet points.
Stories are more effective at changing the business culture in an organisation than lists and bullet points. A study with MBA students discovered when they were given the same information in 3 different formats … lists of bullet points, charts and graphs and in a story format they remembered the stories easiest and found them more credible. Think of the last time you watched a boring power point presentation on your business culture with lists of bullet points aimed at changing your understanding of an idea. Was it easy to understand, or just boring?
When we were small, we asked for stories, not lists or presentations. Stories entertain and share understanding. We pass on information daily about what happens through stories, yet in business we often throw this out the window. We try convince others, persuade them to change and innovate through boring power point and lists of bullet points. An idea can grow many small changes in your organisation, Kaizen, into greater changes. Does it work for you when you are on the receiving end? Stories enable a greater understanding of concepts, can lead to small changes, which in turn lead to bigger changes.
Below is a pecha kucha presentation (20 slides – automated 20 seconds per slide – total 6 min 40 sec) which talks about stories, changing the communication habits and understanding through stories.
Changing business culture through stories
Richard Riche
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