Storytelling as a leadership tool 12-8-15--northwestern-spertus

Copyright 2015 by Lynn Hazan & Associates • lhazan.com
Storytelling as a
Leadership Skill
Leadership & Communication Class
Northwestern & Spertus
Lynn Hazan & Associates

Shema in sign language
Shema Yirael Adonay
Eloheyna Adonay Elchad

Why Shema in sign?
 Many ways to tell a story
 Verbal/nonverbal

Shema - Central Prayer of
Jewish People
Shema Yirael Adonay Eloheyna Adonay Elchad
 AM-PM
 Only 6 words
 Easy to learn, easy to repeat

“God made man
because he loves
stories.”
Elie Wiesel

Parallel with Jewish People
 One people, many voices
 We are a storytelling people
 Building community

God
Torah
Jewish
People
Food
Kashrut
Culture &
Civilization
traditions / history /
artistic expressions
Language
Hebrew / Yiddish / Ladino
Land
Israel / Diaspora

Torah
 Torah Shebichtav (‫שבכתב‬ ‫,תורה‬
"Torah that is written”)
 Torah Shebe'al Peh ( ‫שבעל‬ ‫תורה‬
‫,פה‬ "Torah that is spoken”
– word of mouth, generation to
generation, embodied in the Talmud
(‫מּוד‬ ְ‫ל‬ ַּ‫)ת‬ and Midrash (‫)מדרש‬ .

“Torat Chayeinu: Our Stories,
Our Journey”
 Beth Emet The Free Synagogue’s theme for
5771
 Member stories- tapes
 http://www.bethemet.org

The Hemmingway Challenge:
Write a story in 6 words

“For Sale. Baby shoes.
Never worn.”

What’s your Story as a
Leader/Mission of your org?
 Write your story in only SIX words
 LH story as:
– Recruiter : (Passionate recruiter loves placing
superb talent)
– Storyteller : (Inspired storyteller collects
global Jewish stories)

Why storytelling?
 Narrative- sticky in the brain
 Appeal to emotions
 If it’s memorable, it’s remembered

Why storytelling?
 Authentic
 Honest, transparent
 Builds trust
 It’s repeatable

Why Leadership Communications?
 What are givens:
– Unprecedented change
– Complexity
– Fear

We live in VUCA times…
 V- Volatile
 U- Uncertain
 C- Complex
 A- Ambiguous
 Derived from military vocabulary in the 1990’s

Antidote to VUCA
 Vision
 Understanding
 Clarity
 Agility

David Henderson on
storytelling:
1. Emotional
2. Logical
3. Analytical

David Henderson on
storytelling:
 Human dimension
 Bonding
 Shared experience
 Risky because imperfect

“Leadership is essentially a task of persuasion,
of winning people’s minds and hearts.”
Stephen Denning

7 Story Types:
 Who we are - Identity
 Springboard - Spark action
 Transmit values
 Communicate who the firm is (Branding)
 Foster collaboration
 Tame the grapevine
 Share knowledge
The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and
Discipline of Business Narrative, Stephen Denning

1. Who we are – Identity
Example: Lynn tells story

1. Who we are - Identity
Your Story-Your Org
Build trust-get to know person,
background and history

2. Springboard
Spark Action-springboard story-visualize
large-scale transformation, act to realize it
Example: Lynn – NACOEJ – Ethiopia

3. Transmit Values
Feels familiar to audience, rings a bell.
Prompts discussion.
Example: Mitzvot

Mitzvot = Values in Action
© Mitzvah Cards by
Reclaiming Judaism,
2011

Streetwise Video
 https://vimeo.com/141262109
 StreetWise 2015 Gala Film from Pon
Angara on Vimeo.

7 Core Values – McLane Co.
 Respect for Individual
 Effective Communications
 Pride
 Creating Environment for Personal Growth
 Open Door Policy
 Teamwork
 Commitment

Most Important Core Values –
Zappos
 “Deliver WOW through service”
 Pursue growth & learning
 Create fun & a little weirdness
 Embrace & drive change

What are your organization’s
core values?
 1.
 2.
 3.
 4.
 5.
 6.

4. Communicate who the firm is -
Branding
“Our people transformed an idea into a legend.
That legend will continue to grow only so long
as it is nourished by our people’s indomitable
spirit, boundless energy, immense goodwill
and burning desire to excel.”
- Herb Kelleher

Mission Statement
“We believe in the power of science,
exploration , and storytelling to change the
world.”
Science, exploration, storytelling
Change the world

What is your Org’s Brand?
 Can you state it?
 Is it memorable?
 Do your members/clients/funders relate?
 Inspires action?

Be a Leader
 Adaptive capacity
 Shared meaning or common vision
 Distinctive and compelling voice
 Do the right thing
 Sense of integrity
From Geeks and Geezers: How Era, Values and Defining Moments Shape Leaders, by
Warren G. Bennis and Robert J. Thomas

Could this be you?
Could this be your
organization?

5. Foster collaboration

7. Share knowledge
Example: Walgreens - Former CEO sharing story
about employees and the prom

“Management fads come and go, but
storytelling has been around forever. If
telling stories has lasted this long, there is
probably something to it.”
David Armstrong, CEO: Armstrong Industries
from Managing by Storying Around

Storytelling at your non-profit
Brainstorm how storytelling can be used as
leadership tools for your organizations

Techniques for In-Person
Storytelling
 Tone of voice - avoid monotone-modulate
 Facial Expressions, gestures, posture
 Eye Contact
 Don’t hide behind the podium
 The uncrowded stage: you own the space

The Music of Storytelling
 Transitions
 Pauses
 Rhythm and tempo, repetition
 Integrate with music
 Appeal to the five senses

Your Storytelling Practice
 Practice makes perfect
 Develop your own style
 Rehearse in front of the mirror
 Incubate- ideas, techniques gel
 It’s okay to make mistakes
 30 sec, 60 sec
 Smile!

The Aha Moment: How to
Source Material
 Content is all around you
 Interview your execs
 It’s a process, step by step
 Success breeds success
 Top-down and bottom-up
 Walk around management style

We Remember…
50% of what we
see and hear
90% of what
we teach
20% of what
we hear
30% of what
we see

Components of a Story
Think of the 5 W’s
 Structure: beginning, middle, end
 Issue: conflict, drama, problem
 Character: staff, president, clients
 Location: at work, synagogue, on the road
 Time: day, night, holiday, season
 Resolution: happy ending or not

Themes
 The Journey
 Employee as Hero
 Transformation
 Overcoming Adversity
 Collaboration
 Pressing issues for your org

Footsteps Activity

It’s a Process over Time
 Your mirror = reflection, says it all
 Start in small doses
 Experiment-Define broadly
 Incubate - ideas, techniques gel

Your Story is Your Friend
 Authentic
 Be in the Moment
 Be a sounding board to each other
 Get a Coach

Your 3 Minute Pitch:
Raise $, Get Volunteers,
Advocacy
 Close your eyes
 Think of incident that impacted on you
 W5- Who, What, When? Where? Why?
 What feelings or emotions came up?
 Resolution?

Paired Share with your
Neighbor
 Remember your 5 senses
 Keep it simple
 What kind of story do you want to tell?
 Give your story a title

Evaluate Your Story
 Why did I tell the story?
 Believable?
 Relate to it?
 Human element?
 How did it feel to be the listener?

Follow up webinar: For additional information
on Storytelling Techniques
http://www.slideshare.net/search/slideshow?searchfrom
=header&q=Enhancing+your+Storytelling+Techniques

Resources
 Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and
Inheritance, Barack Obama
 Have a Kind Week, Dan Jorndt
 The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering
the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative,
Stephen Denning
 Managing by Storying Around: A New Method of
Leadership, David Armstrong
 The Media Savvy Leader: Visibility, Influence and
Results in a Competitive World, David Henderson

COMPLETE BIBLIOGRAPHY
Armstrong, David M. Managing by Storying Around: A New Method of Leadership. Armstrong International. Three Rivers, 1999.
Clark, Evelyn. Around the Corporate Campfire: How Great Leaders Use Stories to Inspire Success. Insight Publishers, 2004.
Delong, David. "Lost Knowledge: Confronting the Threat of an Aging Workforce". Oxford University Press, USA, 2004.
Denning, Stephen. The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. Jossey-Bass, 2005.
Denning, Stephen. The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations. Butterworth Heinemann, Boston,
2001.
Denning, Stephen. Squirrel Inc.: A Tale About Leadership Through Storytelling. Jossey-Bass, 2004.
Fulford, Robert. The Triumph of Narrative: Storytelling in the Age of Mass Culture. Broadway, 2001.
Gabriel, Yannis. Storytelling in Organizations: Facts, Fictions, and Fantasies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Golden Fleece/StoryAtWork
See video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bov0jWceZOk
Henderson, David:
Blog: www.davidhenderson.com
Book site: www.mediasavvyleader.com (e-book-free download)
The Media Savvy Leader: Visibility, Influence and Results in a Competitive World,Robert Reed Publishers, 2009.
Kahan, Seth. www.sethkahan.com
Lipman, Doug. Improving Your Storytelling: Beyond the Basics for All Who Tell Stories in Work or Play. August House Publishers, Inc.
Little Rock, 1999.
Lipman, Doug. The Storytelling Coach: How to Praise, and Bring out People’s Best.
August House Publishers, Inc. Little Rock, 1995.
Maxwell, Richard & Dickman, Robert: The Elements of Persuasion: Use Storytelling to Pitch Better, Sell Faster & Win more Business.
Collins, NY, 2007.
Mayer, Laurie (editor) Have a Kind Week: A Collection of Dan Jorndt's Monday Morning Jolts 1997-2002. Walgreens. Deerfield, IL.2003

Margolis, Michael: Believe Me the Book. October 2009.
Mooney, Bill and David Holt. The Storyteller’s Guide: Storytellers Share Advice for the Classroom, Boardroom, Showroom, Podium,
Pulpit and Center Stage. Little Rock, August House, 1996.
Neuhauser, Peg. Corporate Legends and Lore: The Power of Storytelling as a Management Tool. McGraw-Hill, 1993.
Obama, Barack. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. Three Rivers Press, 2004.
Read MacDonald, Margaret. The Storyteller’s Start Up Book. August House, 1993.
Sawyer, Ruth. The Way of the Storyteller. Penguin, 1977.
Simmons, Annette. The Story Factor: The Secrets of Influence from the Art of Storytelling. Basic Books, 2006.
“StreetWise 2015 Gala Film.” Vimeo. Web. 7 Nov. 2015. <https://vimeo.com/141262109>
Winsor, John. Beyond the Brand: Why Engaging the Right Customers is Essential to Winning in Business. Dearborn Trade, 2004.
Online Resources:
Exley, Jack: Stories and Numbers-A Closer Look at Camp Obama
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zack-exley/stories-and-numbers-a-c_b_62278.html
GetStoried.com: Michael Margolis’ website on applied storytelling. Lots of resources and articles.
Hansen, Katharine: A Storied Career: Kathy Hansen’s Blog to explore traditional and post modern forms/uses of storytelling
http://astoriedcareer.com/StoriedCareers1stEdition.pdf ( free e-book).
“Make-A-Wish Is Telling New Stories with Audience Personas.” The See3 Blog RSS, 2015. http://blog.see3.com/how-make-a-wish-is-
telling-new-stories-with-audience-personas/.
Storybest: "social content network" based on coRank. It's a place where people submit, share, vote and promote stories about a
particular topic, project, community, etc.
http://storybest.corank.com
Storytelling-in-business.com: Doug Stevenson, Story Theater International.
Storytop.com: Online tool to create multi-media page stories, use drag and drop clip art, add text in dialog boxes, create storytelling
clubs. A favorite site for teachers.
WorkingStories mailing list

Go forth and tell!
Connect with me on
Linkedin:
Lynn Hazan
Follow me on
Twitter:
lynnhazan
Lynn Hazan
lynn@lhazan.com
www.lhazan.com
312.863.5401

Storytelling as a leadership tool 12-8-15--northwestern-spertus

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