The Power of Stories

This weekend I was privileged to co-facilitate a Community Summit planning event for the North Penn United Way with a gifted colleague and friend, Dr. Ray Wells. The gathering was the culmination of 15 months of planning using an approach called Appreciative Inquiry (Ai). Ai uses the power of collective stories to engage and embolden organizations to embrace the best of their past and draw on those experiences to create a new and better future.

At the heart of the Ai process are personal interviews conducted before and during the event where key stakeholders are invited to share their stories with each other. Themes are identified from these collected experiences and used to create powerful Aspiration Statements that shape what the organization’s future might look like. Time and again, it is the stories that provide rich context and serve as a catalyst for thinking differently about how to move the organization forward.

What makes these stories come alive is how the questions focus only on the positive memories and events. Participants are encouraged to be curious in their interviews and to learn as much as possible about what was behind the success or accomplishment. If a problem or weakness is identified, the interviewer is instructed to ask the interviewee to imagine what it would be like if this perceived problem didn’t exist.

Business leaders rarely embrace the power of stories to shape perceptions, to inspire employees, or to address pressing issues and concerns. Perhaps it is because we assume everyone already knows the best our enterprise has to offer. I’m sure the pressing issues of time may prevent leaders from telling success stories. We may also be jaded and cynical about sharing anything personal with those we lead.

Regardless of motivation, leaders who fail to capture the imagination of those they serve through powerful images and positive success stories from the organization’s past are missing an opportunity to reshape its future. Former leaders, those who took risks, overcame obstacles, challenged conventional wisdom, and demonstrated courage and persistence, deserve a voice. Sharing stories is one way to, not only keep their memory alive, but also inspire others to do the same.

In a world where sound bytes, thirty-second commercials, and text messages dominate the communication landscape, taking time for storytelling may seem unrealistic and archaic. It could also be a powerful resource for real change and more effective planning. What positive collective memories lie dormant in your enterprise? Who needs to hear about when your company was at its best? What might happen if you invited customers to share stories about their experiences with your business?

Ancient cultures maintained strong oral histories about family, culture, and faith. Those stories shaped who they were and who they would become. It’s time to revisit this earlier tradition and reintroduce it in the modern workplace. Gather around, everyone; it’s story time. I’ll get the milk and cookies!