By Laura Newman
I am embarrassed to say that I watched “Out of Africa” for the first time just a few days ago. There’s no doubt I have a soft spot in my heart for Africa—I’ve spent close to a combined three months in Uganda and Kenya, I was in South Africa for the World Cup two weeks ago (it’s Ayoba time!), and I’ve even visited the Nairobi farm of Karen Blixen, the author of “Out of Africa.” But I’d never gotten around to actually watch Meryl Streep fall in love with Robert Redford in the film.
When I finally curled up on the couch to watch it in my London flat last Monday, I was swept away by the beautiful scenery and passionate romance. But I was also encapsulated by another aspect of the movie—the importance of storytelling.
Having recently taken up a position of advising CEC’s European clients, I am currently wearing “Communications goggles”—I now approach everything with this new Communications lens. So the continuous reference to Karen Blixen as a storyteller intrigued me.
In Communications, is it fair to say we are simply storytellers?
Telling our corporate stories certainly isn’t new to the role of Communications—or corporations for that matter. We’ve written for years about illustrating messages with examples and using anecdotes or metaphors to strengthen our arguments. But recently, something has felt different. Telling stories just doesn’t seem to be enough to create advocacy of our messages.
For those of you who have followed CEC’s research this year, you will know we have emphasized the repositioning of the Communications function. Big “C” Communications (i.e., the Corporate Communications function) is purposefully letting go of message ownership, to instead enable small “c” communications (i.e., communication amongst individuals) to flow. In other words, we in Communications have come to the realization that our messages will have much greater impact if they are passed along networks from stakeholder to stakeholder, rather than pushed centrally from the corporate center.
It was in thinking through this idea that the realization hit me—in Communications, we have strived to be the storyteller rather than enabling storytelling. For our messages to be most effective, however, we shouldn’t be the ones telling the stories; we should enable others to tell their own stories.
To illustrate this point, I would like to share one example from our research (although examples from others, including Ford, are just as powerful). We published this approach from Canadian company TD Bank last year, but as I consider it through this new perspective I feel it has gained even more meaning.
The story unfolds as follows: To compete in a tough financial market, the leadership at TD Canada Trust decided to reinforce one of the company’s primary strategic goals—exemplary customer service. But they just couldn’t agree on a definition, so they instead empowered employees to define it for themselves. When someone at TD Bank observes a colleague creating an outstanding customer service moment, he or she is able to recognize that employee through a platform on the corporate intranet. Beyond an employee recognition program, with the additional lens of enabling employees to share their stories, this example demonstrates how employees were “mobilized” around the TD Bank strategy and became storytellers themselves.
Perhaps, with this perspective, Karen Blixen would be describing all stakeholders—albeit in a positive light!—when she says: “I belong to an ancient, idle, wild, and useless tribe… I am a storyteller.”
How are you enabling your employees to tell their stories? What about external stakeholders? Are you helping customers or opinion leaders (for example) engage in storytelling about the company?
on 1 July 2010
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In my company we are in a crucial moment for changing the direction of our business, and we really want to achieve that, but for that reason we do not have a worklife balance and employees are tired of that. So… we are trying to invent or facilitate internal channels or tools to promote dialogue and employees participation but Ithink that sometimes employees feel that if they spend time telling stories, the management board will see them as people that is not working and is not aligned with company prorities and focus. We have a big challenge
on 1 July 2010
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I agree that the tide is turning in favor of small “c” communications for both external and internal communications. The same holds true for small “k” kaizens. Those who understood how technology would change things wrote the Cluetrain Manifesto back in 1999 http://www.cluetrain.com/. Still brings a smile.
on 2 July 2010
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One of my favorite movies, Laura!
You make a crucial observation: “For our messages to be most effective, however, we shouldn’t be the ones telling the stories; we should enable others to tell their own stories.” Messages will resonate, be fully understood, and be repeated only when listeners can fully engage with the meaning. Participatory and democratic communication results in co-creation and co-ownership. Story is a terrific tool for fostering such engagement. Think not of *telling* a story, but of *sharing* a story: what story can be shared that invites your listener to, in turn, share their story?
Thanks again for a great post!
on 8 July 2010
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I started calling myself a disruptive communicator as a bit of a joke some time back now. Basically I found that people were already starting to tell stories themselves and more authentically. http://bit.ly/9KxwM8
Communications has always belonged to everyone and no one. It’s just that for a while the Comms Dept thought it had a the last laugh..no, I think you will find that the last laugh is had by the grapevine.
Regardless of people thinking about letting go or already let go of the message I don’t think anyone has a choice – it’s more a case of will you take part. As Rick points out above with his reference, this is not new, it’s over 10 years old.
Also the proliferation of communications is blurring the somewhat thin (if it exists) divide of the firewall between internal and external, take BP as an extreme example and the University of East Anglia with the climategate fiasco.
on 10 July 2010
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Thanks for all your great comments! Great to see the discussion flowing. I think you’re right, Karl, that this idea that communications lives within and amongst the audience isn’t new. The fascinating (albeit concerning) thing for us is to see how often Corporate Communications functions agree with the statement and yet their functions – in terms of structures, metrics, and activities – don’t seem to be reflecting this reality. Let us know if you see examples that indicate this isn’t the case! – Laura
on 4 October 2011
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