How Does Storytelling Impact Employee Growth and Problem Solving?

Dear Members, on one of the WA groups, the Administrator of the forum has brought up a topic for discussion. Today's topic is the decision on the art of storytelling. He has raised the following questions:

Is storytelling an art?

Does storytelling help to solve problems of employees?

I have provided replies to his questions. My replies are as follows:

Do the examples cited while narrating a story create an impact on the minds of employees to transform themselves in their personal as well as professional life?

+++++

Dear Rajaram, the replies to your questions are as follows:

Q. 1 Is storytelling an art?

Reply: Of course, storytelling is an art. It is an art because, while telling a story, the storyteller needs to have voice modulation and supporting hand movements. The objective of storytelling is to influence the other party. Therefore, the appropriateness of the story to the situation at hand is also important.

Let me give an example of *Kirtan* that is told in Maharashtra. In the Kirtan, mostly the stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata are told. Many of us know those stories, yet the _Kirtankar_ hooks us to that place because the method of explanation is marvelous. One does not get bored while listening to what is known to him/her.

Q. 2 Does storytelling help to solve problems of employees?

Reply: No, storytelling is not a problem-solving tool. However, it can be used to advance one's argument. It can be used in counseling sessions. If time permits, then job interviewees may quote an incident to a behavioral question.

Q. 3 Do the examples cited while narrating a story create an impact on the minds of employees to transform themselves in their personal as well as professional life?

Reply: A story is supposed to have only one example and not multiple examples. Yes, a story must create an impact on the minds of the persons, but _transformation_ of personal or professional life is too big a goal. Storytelling helps in shaping the attitude of the persons or inculcating values.

Final Comments: As stated earlier, storytelling is an art. But to master this art, one needs to have that kind of reading. Just telling examples or incidents from life is not sufficient. To master the art of storytelling, one needs to mingle with the diverse elements of society. To elicit others' experiences, one should talk less and listen more. Secondly, after listening to the incident, one should note down which example is suitable for what purpose. Lastly, management professionals should read business dailies, periodicals, etc., to enrich their stock of stories.

Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar

I am a big fan of yours, and I never miss reading your posts. Your knowledge, experience, and the way you write are really awesome and make me want to read more. I also admire a few other members in this forum; keep writing all. Meanwhile, I have tried my best as below.

Q. 1 Is storytelling an art?

Reply: Yes, it is. In general, people love to listen to stories. The key here is that one has to be well-equipped in storytelling as it attracts and motivates the listeners/audience. Some leaders in the corporate world know the strength of storytelling and use this style to highlight how the company achieved success in tough times and any significant growth in a particular domain or business.

The story thus reaches employees so they know the right details of the company. The difference is that almost all employees listen to stories, so you cannot see even a few employees passively participating in meetings. If the meetings are lengthy and only contain details about the company, some employees may even fall asleep.

Storytelling plays a vital role in HR Analytics too. HR shouldn't stop at just gathering reports and publishing them; creating stories with strong action plans would reach management.

Q. 2 Does storytelling help to solve employees' problems?

Reply: Through storytelling, identifying problems, understanding the root causes, and finding solutions to fix the problems can be made possible. As you listen deeply to the stories, it becomes possible to imagine what's wrong and how to fix it.

Q. 3 Do the examples cited while narrating stories create an impact on the minds of employees to transform themselves in their personal as well as professional lives?

Reply: Every story will have at least one moral being conveyed. It's like a lot of training materials that you listen to or read to upgrade yourself. The key is if you take at least the point that touched you in the story and attempt to apply it in your personal or professional life, it will have a huge impact.

Final Comments:

For storytelling, know your content and audience and their diversity (age, gender, generation, and so on). Do your homework on what you want to convey in a better way, provided the key skill of strong communication is already in place.

Regards, Thiyagu

Have you ever watched speakers or presenters on TED Talks? 9 out of 10 of these talks are presented in the form of stories. What makes storytelling compelling is the refinement for a better appreciation of the goal or message of the talk. The 'story' touches our subliminal and subconscious levels, intricately interwoven with our conscious level of acceptance or rejection of the message. Non-verbal communication cues also contribute to heightening the interest and marketability of the idea, thought, or message.

Do stories help solve problems?

As one contributor asked, involving oneself in another's problem, and then responding in a fairy-tale-like manner with passion and compassion, creating a majestic aura in the exchange environment, does help solve problems both socially and professionally.

Regards, Arif ur Rehman