Seven story types to get you started
What’s the best way to share your organisational values, to prompt behaviour change, to communicate your ideas?
Tell STORIES!
Stories are an excellent vehicle to illustrate your thoughts, vision and values. Because they are visual, real-life experiences they can bring abstract and complex concepts to life. You can use them to paint a picture of the journey you want to take the organisation on; to outline what the future looks like. And they’re universal: when you ditch the jargon and complexity, we can all get behind your message. A good story is for all audiences whether internal or external: that includes your team, customers, regulators, investors or the industry at large.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are seven story types to get you going:
Out & About stories. Whether you’ve been to a conference, met a customer, visited a factory, caught up with colleagues overseas - these are rich in stories. It might be something someone said, or something you spotted. What moment stands out?
Product & Service stories. Instead of focusing on the product or service itself, focus on how a customer is using it, or experiencing it, and the inherent benefits. How have their fortunes changed or been transformed since they started using your product/service?
Company Origin story. Where did your organisation start and why? What was the moment of clarity your founder had and what happened next? Tell us the downs as well as the ups - it elicits empathy. People will likely be sceptical if there weren’t any road bumps on the way!
Culture & Values stories. What is a behaviour you want to encourage or change, and what is a story that best illustrates that? Use storytelling to bring your organisational values to life. Showcase the culture and behaviour you want to encourage at your organisation.
Career stories. What did you learn from your career or previous roles that you apply in your leadership or work life today? What were the moments of discovery and change?
Talent stories. From new recruits and interns to long-time employees, make your colleagues the hero of the story and demonstrate why they enjoy being at the company.
Personal stories. What happens in your life at large that you can connect with your professional life? Telling stories about things that happen outside of work give people a flavour of the real you. Whether it’s what you’ve learned overcoming adversity or an insight from a sport or hobby, these provide rich material for insights you can apply in your work.