The Listening Project

My church recently completed the conversion of our old second floor sound booth overlooking the sanctuary into a brand new recording studio, a Listening Room, where people of different generations will be encouraged to share stories with one another. Lead pastor, Joe Hackman envisioned the project in response to our current congregational theme of “Learning to Listen Across the Generations.” Recordings from the sessions will be used during worship services, posted on our church website, and available as podcasts through iTunes. 

I have always believed in the power of story and the role it could play in organizational life. Yet few leaders are adept at engaging employees through this medium. Instead most executives will resort to sterile PowerPoint slide shows full of charts and statistics as their preferred method of communication about everything from sales to service. These data driven presentations simply can’t evoke the same reaction as a compelling story.

My training experience has validated how stories can change our perspectives. When I introduce a concept, like customer service, it is always with some first-person experiences that illustrate what good or bad service feels like. I describe in vivid detail the setting, the various players in the story, and what they did to make my experience memorable. Participants quickly gain insights about how the business and its employees successfully delivered on their service promise.

On other occasions I have found that sharing a deeply personal experience, like my business calling, can have a similar effect. It is rare that I can share this story without some emotions welling up inside and eventually emerging. When this does happen, the audience generally “leans in”, perhaps drawn by the sacredness of raw and real life realities being publicly shared for all to see. By modeling vulnerability, I am inviting others to consider doing the same.

A storytelling approach offers leaders the opportunity to feed our human craving for connection. It is also a powerful agent for social change. Without personal stories, leaders will struggle to attach a visceral meaning to their needs or causes. In my church we have already benefited from various opportunities to hear each others personal and faith journeys. The Listening Project will further strengthen this effort as it captures for current and future generations some of what life for our members has been like.

I’m not advocating that your organization create a recording studio but I would encourage leaders everywhere to embrace the power of storytelling as a communication tool. Learn how to tell your own personal stories, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Leverage stories in your external platforms like social media and websites. Invite employees and customers to share their stories with you and each other. The vulnerable act of telling your story may remind the audience of something similar in their own lives. That is a wonderful gift for everyone.