Category: Blog

A huge congratulations to Currys Supply Chain, a long standing client of ours, which has just landed an Award for Excellence at the CiB (Communicators in Business) Strategy Awards.

They scooped the top prize in the ’storytelling’ section of the competition having submitted, in the judges words, ‘an excellent entry. A programme with a clear purpose, defined audience, specific objectives and a communications campaign executed to a very high standard.’

The truth is, that the Internal Comms team at Currys Supply Chain really believe in the power of sharing stories and they have worked hard, with our help, to ensure that stories of success are harvested from all corners of the business and are held up as shining examples to inspire others.

A huge well done to Currys – we’re proud of you.

But the story doesn’t end there…they are also in the running for the overall award in each category and the Gold Award for ‘Best Internal Communications Strategy of the Year’.

Our fingers are firmly crossed for them!

I spent yesterday shooting clay pigeons, racing quad bikes and driving a tank at Newick Park yesterday, all for Dame Vera Lynn’s charity to raise funds for children with cerebral palsy. I get involved in all sorts of charity skiing and shooting events – it’s a great way to contribute to some of the very worthy causes out there. Yet while we are having a great time participating in [usually] friendly banter and competition (and we girls are probably more competitive than most of the men put together), it’s easy to forget why we are there.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to a) shoot more clays than the other ladies and b) receive my prize from Dame Vera Lynn herself. She is a remarkable lady. Now 90, graceful as ever and perched on the back of a chair sporting a chic beret, she was the centre of attention in the room. But it was when she spoke about her charity, telling the story about how the Trust gets no government support because children under five with cerebral palsy are not deemed needy of ‘education’, telling stories about how these children need to be ‘educated’ on how to hold a spoon, to sit on a chair and to do all the simple things that we take for granted with our own children, that the perception and understanding of that charity’s purpose began to rise to a different level. Her lucidity, clarity and passion was amazing. Here was a national treasure, a true role-model, requesting in the most humble way that we dig deep to support her cause – not by asking us outright, but simply by telling stories that struck deep into the emotions. But believe me, some of most vocal and showy men in that room were silenced yesterday, and they certainly dug deep.

A good storyteller can influence and persuade people in the most extraordinary ways, but there’s something about a very special role-model telling those stories with heartfelt passion that really made a difference. Dame Vera Lynn has an incredible story of her own to tell, but yesterday wasn’t about her, it was about asking us all to contribute to something she passionately believes in. I am sure that more than a few people walked away a few pennies lighter and with a new understanding and attitude towards the Dame Vera Lynn Trust. As she said to me privately and quietly, clasping my hand as we said our good-byes, “we all do what we can”.

The recent situation at Northern Rock is a great example of the power of stories and storytelling. When the Bank of England announced that they were underwriting Northern Rock’s finances, both banks believed that this would reduce the risk for NR’s savers. But as many risk specialists will tell you, risk is as much a matter of perception than statistical reality. Within days thousands of ordinary, and often elderly customers were forming long queues outside NR branches. And the bank lost over £2bn in two days of trading. What is the mechanism that drives such a powerful reaction? What makes a seventy year old person sit or stand for over six hours outside a bank?

Jim Loehr of the Human Performance Institute talks about the role stories or narrative plays in the way we comprehend things. He draws on research by scientists in the US into why we think the way we do that concludes that our brain has evolved into a narrative-creating machine that takes whatever it encounters, no matter how apparently random, and imposes on it chronology and cause and effect logic. In other words we intuitively take facts, such as the Bank of England’s announcement, and shape them into stories (in this case our perceived story of the immanent collapse of Northern Rock). Steve Denning and others take this one step further. They talk about the ‘inner voice’ inside our head, that when we hear an external story, extrapolates it into a story with ourselves as the hero. So when we see the hero of a film having to part with his or her loved one, we project ourselves into their situation and in doing so share their emotion.

Now lets consider what’s going on in the mind of the Northern Rock savers. The Bank of England makes its announcement. Our saver takes this information and shapes it into a story, partly based on fact and partly based on their own assumptions – ‘my bank is in trouble’. Of course they are not the only ones to turn this into a story. The media are also playing the same game, and they are looking at it through the lens of sensationalism. Now our saver extrapolates the story into a new version, one in which they envision what will happen to their savings, and consequences on their lives. This story is so powerful, so full of risk, that it shapes beliefs that fly in the face of any counter logic (the Bank of England has just underwritten your bank!). And as we know beliefs drive behaviours.

Don’t let anyone tell you that the banking system is driven by numbers!

Business has lost a great storyteller in Anita Roddick. The Body Shop was founded on a great story, and through its evolution has inspired millions through the stories behind its products, its support and campaigns against animal testing and for human rights, ethical trading, the environment and the arts.

Anita herself was a truly great storyteller. In one of her last interviews with Emma Thelwell, City correspondent of The Daily Telegraph, she said “One of the most intriguing things in management and in business is this role of storytelling – people need the anecdotes to do the work that they do. I was saying to Boots recently, my God to go back to the original thinking of Mr Boot, the original thinking of Marks and Spencer – who was Marks and who was Spencer – how did they get together?

“What I’m doing now, for me and The Body Shop, is archiving everything. I learnt that from Boots more than anything. You take the history and instead of dumping it away because its reinventing itself, you take the early thinking and everything that fashioned the company.”

This kind of appreciative thinking is a powerful approach for shaping strategy in boardrooms…identifying what has made an organisation great, mining the stories that epitomise the values and success that will influence its new direction. A true champion in every sense of the word, Anita was a leader who really knew how to make sense of business and the societies in which we live and work, bringing the two together in a way through fantastic role-modelling which others have followed.

I read with interest a recent blog by one of our Canadian partners, Nicky Fried (Strategic Connections), on the loyalty and respect given by immigrant workers. It reminded me of a client’s comment last week on their own issues regarding immigrant workers, and how often their lack of brand awareness can pose a concern of its own.

The client in question is a huge high street retail brand in the UK. I was visiting a their national distribution centre last week (and very impressive it was too), and the subject of their Eastern European colleagues was raised. Despite the gravitas and success of this brand in the UK, most Eastern European workers, whilst extremely hard workers, come with virtually no recognition or pride in the organisation; simply because they are unfamiliar with the brand. Building engagement, loyalty and pride amongst this community therefore depends entirely on their experience in the workplace – certainly until they are fully integrated into the UK way of life, with its associated culture and brands – over time.

This concern demonstrated to me not only the need to communicate the organisation’s journey in a simple and clear way that involves the entire workforce, but the acknowledgement that pride in a brand and a degree of loyalty and engagement exists even before an employee starts to work with that particular organisation – through sheer familiarity and brand recognition. This brand recognition is also a key factor in attracting and retaining talent, so maximising performance and engagement in the business must be a clear priority if it is to achieve loyalty and recognition, both internally and externally.

Whilst traveling to a meeting on the underground recently I came across a wonderful example of storytelling…

For some weeks now, a set of escalators at Waterloo underground station have undergone a full refurbishment which, for many commuters, will have proven a tad troublesome. An A-Frame sign with a grammatically incorrect notice written in marker would usually suffice, but to my joy (and I must admit surprise) a story had been thoughtfully crafted. The message, which was displayed across eight wall hanging advertising boards, not only informed passengers about the ongoing repairs but featured snippets of information, both past and present. This was a breath of fresh (albeit London Underground) air.

One such snippet detailed the story of a one-legged character by the name of Bumper Harris. Employed for the opening day of the escalators at Earls Court, he constantly traveled the escalators in an effort that demonstrated, to the many on-looking sceptics, the safety and overall stability of the new contraption. Of course, his bravery paid off and modern day commuters riding the moving stairs are none the wiser to his efforts.

What amazes me about this story is that Mr Harris has been the talk of our office ever since we learned of him, he’s been included in this blog – I’ve even found myself ‘Googling’ him! All of which just goes to show the true power of stories.

I read a great story on my way to work this morning – which given the aura of glumness hovering over my fellow commuters – seemed timely as well as thought provoking.

Most of us understand that having a positive outlook is preferable to that of a negative one, but how many of us simply react emotionally to most situations rather than consciously choosing to apply a positive attitude to what life throws our way?

I’m not advocating that we all go around grinning moronically (although the entertainment value of this alone may be worth pursuing!) but we do have a choice.

We choose how we react to situations, how to respond to information we receive and how others affect our mood.

Changes happen the instant you decide to choose a positive attitude due to the influence our moods have on those around us. This is a powerful thing in the workplace when you consider the number of people involved. You start to see more openness to understanding, an easing of tensions, others starting to behave positively and things start to happen for the better.

The results as described in Jerry’s Story can be significant. It’s a long story that can be found circulating the Internet but essentially goes like this…

Jerry was one of those people who was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. Working in the restaurant business he proved to be a unique Manager and had waiters who would follow him from restaurant to restaurant as his career progressed. The waiters followed Jerry because of his attitude – he was a natural motivator. His belief was that when you wake up in the morning you have 3 choices – to be in a good mood, to be a victim or to learn from and make the best of a situation.

One day Jerry left the back door of the restaurant open and was held up at gunpoint by three robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand – shaking with nerves – slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. After eighteen hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from hospital with fragments of the bullet still in his body.

When asked what had gone through his mind he replied ‘‘the first thing was that I should have locked the back door! Then as I lay on the floor I realised I had two choices – I could choose to live or I could choose to die. The paramedics were great, they kept telling me I was going to be fine; but when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expression on the faces of the medical team I read ‘He’s a dead man’ in their eyes. I knew that I needed to take action, so as a nurse shouted the question ‘Are you allergic to anything’ at me, I said yes. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled ‘BULLETS!!!’

Go on – be positive…. it could change your life!

I’ve just come back from a fantastic holiday in Dubai. The weather was incredible – 45 degrees each day (too hot for some!) whilst the sea resembled a bath with temperatures holding a steady 35 degrees…Oh, and the skies (in complete contrast to the UK this Summer), remained cloudless for the entire 2 weeks.

Aside from the idyllic weather though, the thing that really strikes you about Dubai is the sheer ambition of the place.

The city’s unofficial motto is: ‘If you can imagine it, Dubai can build it’, and it’s a motto which is evident wherever you look:

From the colossal underwater resort still under construction to the (obviously indoor) real snow slope complete with alpine trees and foliage…
From the breathtaking Palm with it’s hotels and massive skyscrapers to ‘Earth’ – an island development for the rich and famous that when viewed from the sky looks like our planet.

Dubai strikes me as a city writing its own story. It began by defining what future success would look like, then quickly recognised the challenges it would encounter on the journey to get there (making the desert a comfortable place to live for instance!) It has organised itself in such a way that made it possible to achieve incredible things, and it began writing…

The city is rather like a business that has a clear vision and strategy. Success depends entirely on effective communication of the vision to the people that actually make it happen: in Dubai’s case the designers, the engineers and the builders.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that storytelling is an integral part of Arab life…The history of their greatest explorers, pioneers, inventors and investors can be seen in shopping malls, restaurants and on the sides of buildings right across the city. It’s very inspiring and I’m sure conducive to communicating what, as a city it is trying to achieve.

Dubai is a place that is writing its own living story…And I for one can’t wait to see what it chooses to write next.

There are so many definitions of this phrase Employee Engagement. It’s become a mini industry in itself, with a range of companies operating in this field. Web and intranet designers, event producers, pensions and benefits companies, survey companies, healthcare companies – you name it, a vast number of them view themelves as agents of employee engagement.

It has indeed become a buzz word which could become over-used and meaningless if we’re not careful. The truth is that true employee engagement is not down to one single factor. For some it is interpreted as a state of being as a result of a combination of certain processes, culture and behaviours within organisations. For others it is an activity to which whole departments are dedicated and titles given.

Patricia Soldati’s article in Management Issues is a neat, simple synopsis of the definition and drivers of employee engagement. As it is a never-ending subject of discussion there will certainly be more, but this will do for now.