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    Organizational Storytelling: A Leadership Connection
    Organizational Storytelling: A Leadership Connection
    Organizational Storytelling: A Leadership Connection
    Ebook136 pages1 hour

    Organizational Storytelling: A Leadership Connection

    By Dr. Linda Ellington

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    About this ebook

    If you are the leader who tells organizational stories, people will start looking at you oddly. You want them to because you have achieved a tiny victory. You are fending off staleness by being the storyteller who reaches out and grabs the audience into the story instantaneously - rather than so many other leaders who only give their audience a case of the blahs. Be the person who leads in a zany, laughter-filled environment where politics is as absent as it can be in a human (i.e., imperfect) enterprise. Strip off your blinders as the crazy past is soon going to look like a mellow prelude - and create the organization that is exciting, creative, innovative, and a hoot. Just maybe the organizational fun line and the bottom line can intersect.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArchway Publishing
    Release dateOct 24, 2024
    ISBN9781665767521
    Organizational Storytelling: A Leadership Connection
    Author

    Dr. Linda Ellington

    Dr. Ellington conducted her doctoral research at the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick, U.K. She worked for IBM 23 years in various leadership positions and is teaching in higher educational institutions. She is an Associate Editor for IJAVET. She has published 30 chapters and 9 journal articles in peer reviewed textbooks and journals. She has been a doctoral committee member several times, and is currently a committee member at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. In addition to teaching and researching, she has written 8 children's books in the genre of bullying and taking care of our planet.

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      Book preview

      Organizational Storytelling - Dr. Linda Ellington

      Copyright © 2024 Dr. Linda Ellington.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      Archway Publishing

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.archwaypublishing.com

      844-669-3957

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are

      models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

      ISBN: 978-1-6657-6751-4 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-6657-6752-1 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2024922576

      Archway Publishing rev. date: 10/18/2024

      CONTENTS

      Chapter 1 Introduction

      Chapter 2 How Does Storytelling Work?

      Chapter 3 Our Brain: The Narrative Architect

      Chapter 4 The Psychology of Storytelling

      Chapter 5 The Stickiness Factor

      Chapter 6 Storytelling as an Art

      Chapter 7 Storytelling is in the Organization’s DNA

      Chapter 8 The Texture of a Story

      Chapter 9 Be the Master of your Storytelling

      Chapter 10 Storytelling is a Competitive Advantage

      Chapter 11 The Wonder Factor in Being the Storyteller

      Chapter 12 Do Not Fear the Dramaturg

      Chapter 13 The Humor Ingredient

      Chapter 14 Be The Game Changer

      Chapter 15 We Are All Characters In Each Other’s Stories

      Chapter 16 Be The Steward

      Chapter 17 Storytelling is Big Business

      Chapter 18 The Art of Voice

      Chapter 19 Storytelling – Fresh Ingredients

      Chapter 20 Practice Being a Storyteller

      Chapter 21 That is all, Folks

      PREFACE

      The universe is made of stories, not atoms

      Poet Muriel Rukeyser

      Inspiration for books comes from myriad sources. In my case, something more than intellectual curiosity excited me about this project—personally. I wrote this book because I recognized that stories are comforting, exhilarating, and unnerving and are part of the fabric of who I am—and who you are.

      This book hopefully inspires a new generation of leaders to break free from the monotony of spreadsheets and pie charts. Instead, the stories empower them with the transformative power of storytelling that illuminates organizational missions, values, and goals. Each chapter is a treasure trove brimming with storytelling gems, inviting you on a storytelling odyssey. It is like embarking on a quest to uncover the secrets of legendary leaders and storytellers who harnessed the power of stories to conquer challenges.

      As a leader who tells stories, you may notice people throughout the organization looking at you with curiosity. This is a good sign. You are not the typical leader who bores their audience. Instead, you lead in a vibrant, humor-filled environment where politics is absent in a human (i.e., imperfect) enterprise. Embrace the joy of storytelling and watch as your audience becomes more engaged and enthusiastic.

      Throughout the book, this journey of stories gives instances to showcase some of the greatest storytellers. Each is different and yields a unique insight, yet they share a common thread: storytelling. The book paints a vivid picture of what you will experience when meeting those who have transformed into storytelling maestros. I extend a call to action - join the ranks of those who have mastered the art and science of storytelling.

      If you notice phrases, ideas, and anecdotes that closely resemble those that appear throughout this book, it is not a matter of sloppy editing. I am repeating myself. I am reshuffling words, hoping to say something exactly right – a work in progress on a storyteller’s progress.

      This book is intentionally written as a ‘short story’ for two reasons. First, I do not know if anyone has time to read a lengthy book in our chaotic world. Secondly, this book is built on the stories told by storytellers who have been and still are contributing to the field. If you do not already know many of the fantastic storytellers in this book, you will never forget them. Many leadership books might be "Moby Dick’ compared to my ‘Pilot Fish’ book here – but I welcome you to enjoy the adventure with me!

      Linda

      CHAPTER 1

      INTRODUCTION

      We all know stories can get people to take action, accelerate knowledge acquisition, engage in organizational change, solidify teamwork relationships, provide exceptional customer service, and increase the organization’s visibility. According to Frei & Morris, When your organization needs to make a significant change, stories will help to convey not only the why but also what the future will look like in specific, vivid terms. Depending on the measurement, up to 70% of organizational change efforts fail. However, creating a compelling narrative will greatly increase the chances of defying those odds (2023, p. 71).

      Storytellers do this. They create moments of unexpected change to seize the attention of their protagonists and, by extension, the readers and listeners. Aristotle argued that peripeteia, a dramatic turning point, is one of the most potent moments in drama (Stor, 2020).

      Organizational storytelling is the secret elixir that transforms dry data into thrilling narratives, igniting inspiration and galvanizing teams to conquer the most epic quests in their industry’s ever-changing landscape. The ancient art of wielding words, images, and emotions to craft compelling tales brings the organization’s purpose, values, and mission to life like a vibrant tapestry of adventure.

      Storytelling is a universal way we have communicated since time began and is a highly honed and valued leadership tool. There can be no arguing that we are in a leadership crisis. And not just in politics but in all industries worldwide. Can you remember when a leader shared a story that made you laugh, cry, want to drink a beer, or feel something? Telling stories is as natural and vital as taking a breath.

      The very first storytellers were hunters. They told stories about the animals they killed for sustenance and described the mystical world the animals went to when they died. Animals gave life to early man, and man showed respect in return. The hunters’ stories reflect the relationship with the animal kingdom (Luhn, 2018). They often emphasize the ethical considerations and rituals involved, underscoring the importance of sustainable practices and the interconnectedness of all living beings. I dare say we still do that!

      Storytelling began so long ago that its opening lines have dissolved into the mists of deep time. Early humans crafted remarkably symmetrical hand axes, hunting cooperatively and possibly controlling fire. Such skills would have required careful observation and mimicry, step-by-step instruction, and an ability to hold a long series of events in one’s mind incipient form of plot. Possibly much earlier, humans were creating the type of complex, imaginative, and densely populated murals found on the chalky canvases of ancient caves: art that reveals creatures no longer content to experience the world simply but who felt compelled to record and re-imagine it. We became consummate storytellers (Zak, 2013).

      I have a story. So do you! Storytelling is, in fact, at the core of every activity and at the center of everything we do. The ability to tell the right story at the right time is an essential leadership skill for maneuvering through a turbulent world. The mind-boggling and extraordinary truth, scholars and practitioners agree that stories work and are contagious. They are vehicles to teach, inspire, inform, motivate, heal, and lead.

      For many brilliant leaders who are good at what they do, the idea of organizational storytelling takes much work. Organizations are people, and this flash of the obvious has implications for leaders discovering that they are being called to show up

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