The power of storytelling in business and organisations
Stories are traced back to prehistoric times when cave dwellers would capture their stories as pictures on cave walls. There’s a long, long history of storytelling which remains as strong as ever, with most parents continuing the tradition of telling bedside stories to the children, and fairy tales remaining popular, even if now appearing in a myriad of different guises. Stories are what we know and connect to from a very early age.
The truly great storytellers speak from and to the heart and they can inspire positive feelings and action.
In business, we sometimes forget the power of a story and how it can connect to colleagues within an organisation and also to the external world....to existing and potential clients and customers. It’s a fantastic way of creating trust, meaning, camaraderie and also inspiring desired action.
Telling your own story from the heart as a leader in business or an owner of a company and telling this regularly and consistently is hugely important if you are to create a loyal following. What are the words that you want to weave into your narrative that resonate at a deeper level and help connect and inspire? These are the questions you should be asking yourself and will stand you in good stead if you ponder long enough and get it right.
Capturing and sharing your stories that connect to your purpose, your vision and values, enveloping your readers in the passion that drives you to be who you are and do what you do, will help you create a following....a fan base.
I recently had some great feedback from various associates and friends about the content of my refreshed website which made my heart soar. It was the ultimate compliment - they fed back that they could tell I was completely passionate about what I do. It had taken some time to craft and hone the words, but it seems I've managed to create my authentic 'brand' story, the unique story of Joss and the ‘why’ behind Capitalise!
There are so many fantastic story tellers out there and I love watching Ted Talks as they are incredibly inspiring, interesting and thought provoking. One of my favourites is Bryan Stevenson’s talk about the importance of identity. I’d recommend finding the 22.09 minutes to watch it, as it’s incredibly compelling and it certainly got me thinking. Once you’ve done this, ask yourself …. ‘What parts do I connect to and why?’ and think how you can bring that similar feeling into your story telling so you can make the same connection to your audience….
My second challenge to you is to make sure that your story captures your passion, your ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ so that through your authentic story and unique take on the world, your potential clients and customers can see who you truly are and what you stand for…..