The Power of Storytelling in Communications

The word "storytelling" often evokes images of fairy tales or ghost stories told around a campfire (with a flashlight held under the chin for dramatic effect, of course). But telling a story can also be applied in the workplace and can be an effective tool for employee communications. Whether it is sharing company values, navigating changes, or celebrating successes, storytelling plays a vital role in shaping organizational culture.

That about sums it up...

At its core storytelling is crafting a narrative that is both compelling and relatable. It is about building rapport and empathy with the audience using stories and narratives to which they can relate. When done effectively it can engage, inspire, and motivate people to do their best work. Having an engaged and inspired workforce is the goal of any communications professional, so why not weave a story into the usual message flow?

On a personal note, I always responded more favorably to workplace communications where I felt like I could relate to the message (or the person conveying the message). In the information age in which we live it is easy to get overwhelmed with missives from all sides. In this environment, the ability to captivate audiences and convey messages effectively is more important than ever. Telling a relatable story that instills a sense of empathy in the reader just might get their attention. Now that is a story with a happy ending.