Summary: In this conversation with Barb Sawyers, we explore some of the ways in which organizations can use storytelling to engage employees and communicate important messages. A fellow member of IABC/Toronto, Barb is a writer and author of Write Like You Talk – Only Better. She also publishes a blog at Sticky Communication. You can listen to the podcast now with the player above or download it to listen later. Or subscribe to this podcast in iTunes using the link at the top of this page. SHOWNOTES Apologies for the audio issues during part of the conversation. 00:01 Intro; about Barb 01:23 People remember stories; in organizations, you particularly need stories for the tough sell 02:20 Recap of Barb’s blog post; keep the story concise; don’t bore people 03:44 Keep it real, admit to conflict (stories need conflict); identify heroes and villains 05:22 In some organizations, leaders fear conflict; maybe the villain is a problem solved, not a villain in the traditional sense of the word 06:40 You can’t engage employees if you’re not being real; use real language 07:02 We are emotional beings; people are naturally afraid of new things at work, such as change 07:33 Develop your characters; they should be likable 09:45 It’s important to warm people up before you interview them 10:44 Make sure your story has a point, just like fables always have a moral 12:00 Role of emotion in corporate storytelling; story without emotion does not resonate with people. People won’t relate to “just the facts” 14:02 Remind people that they can review the story before publication, to ease their mind and get better stories 16:20 Be sure you share with transparency and respect; find common ground 18:00 What to do when they say: “We have no stories!” 21:00 Put on storytelling hat to uncover employee stories; employees appreciate hearing stories about themselves 22:44 Classic storytelling establishes characters, builds toward a climax, then resolves; must have a conflict or challenge to be overcome 23:30 Pitfalls of corporate storytelling: thinking you have no stories; wanting to gloss over negatives; talking only about the CEO and other senior leaders; standing in the way of truth 29:00 Fear of the very word “story” 30:20 Day-in-the-life stories can be effective if it’s not a boring day; look for conflict or challenge to be surmounted NOTE: Next Trafcom News Podcast will feature an interview with Steve Clayton, senior director of storytelling at Microsoft 36:00 Your comments are welcome; where to send comments. Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com. Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network
