We help business leaders engage their people in strategy, vision, values and change….connecting people through storytelling
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Steering through the economic crisis without being the victim of major headcount reduction, budget cuts and major restructures is going to depend on smart thinking, innovation and agility for every single organisation, and every single function with that organisation. And when push comes to shove, it’s going to be all about how you sell yourself, both to your customers and your employers.
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We’re proud to support the celebrated writers’ group 26 for their inaugural annual speech, which will take place at the magnificent British Library at on 16 October 2008. Read item »
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The Olympics have been over for just over 24 hours and I’m already experiencing withdrawal symptoms. You couldn’t be anything but awe-struck at the monumental spectacle that Beijing has produced over the past fortnight. Terrific performances by so many athletes from so many countries, superb TV coverage (well done the BBC), incredible opening and closing ceremonies in an iconic venue, and flawless execution by the organisers. Read item »
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McDonald’s UK HR Director, David Fairhurst, has recently pledged to continue to invest in training and recruitment (Personnel Today 22 July) to help the fast-food chain cope with the economic downturn. A brave statement, considering the widespread budget-cuts that are afflicting businesses as fears of a recession grow daily.
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Congratulations to my colleagues Glenn and Louise for coming up with a great idea at our summer social / team-building exercise this week.
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As The Times publishes its Times Top 100 companies to work for, it comes as little surprise that the focus of this article by Sue Leonard is on the costs that can be saved by keeping your staff happy. And keeping your staff happy has as much to do with employee engagement and maintaining personal and career growth opportunities as it does paying them a good salary. Read item »
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Our website now features a new section dedicated to new positions on offer in our rapidly-growing team. Over the last year we have seen a significant increase in interest in our proposition, and in tandem with ongoing product development (not to mention numerous tweaks, adjustments and improvements to the programme) we’re firing on all cylinders.
We’re an interesting and eclectic team of people with a combination of skills ranging from strategic communications, event facilitation, creative and multi-media design, organisational change, marketing and project management - fun to work with and keen to retain the ‘family’ culture as we grow, utterly dedicated to making this pioneering approach work for our clients to achieve the best possible results.
Have a look at the Careers section of the site, and if you think you or anyone you know fits the bill, get in touch!
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Martin and I recently ran a couple of workshops at the CiB conference in Brighton, which focused on employee engagement. How I am beginning to resent that phrase ‘employee engagement’. I would much prefer to use the term ‘connectivity’. Perhaps that’s a subject for another day. Read item »
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filed under Stories, Organisations
I’m in the middle of Allan Leighton’s book on Leadership, which is refreshingly honest and down to earth. It gives some fascinating insights from some of the captains of industry on the qualities of a good leader, illustrated through their own stories, drawn from their own experiences. Sir Philip Green, Surinder Arora, Stuart Rose, Jacqueline Gold, Richard Baker, Justin King, James Dyson….the list goes on.
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And then John Maeda has something to say in his book ‘The Laws Of Simplicity’….
To make anything simple, you need to apply ‘thoughtful reduction’; that’s why the iPod has fewer features than rival media players. Where you can’t reduce- and too much reduction destroys the value of your product - you have to hide complexity; which is why Google has almost nothing on its home page. But for your simplified product to succeed, it has also to appear more valuable than more complex products, something you achieve with classy materials and clever marketing; which is why Bang & Olufsen’s remote controls are heavier than you’d expect.
Right team….let’s look at our paper stock…..
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I wish I had been a fly on the wall at the recent Management Today lunch discussion between some of the UK’s top corporate leaders (Adam Crozier, Royal Mail, Sir Martin Sorrell, WPP, David Brennan, AstraZeneca, Val Gooding, Bupa, Lord Crisp, ex-NHS, Paul Coby, BA, Jane McKenzie, Henley College, Miranda Kennett, First Class Coach and Ian Powell, PwC).
Read item »
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Hmmmm, having a bit of writers’ block today, but I’ve found a great quote…
“Australian Aborigines say that the big stories—the stories worth telling and retelling, the ones in which you may find the meaning of your life—are forever stalking the right teller, sniffing and tracking like predators hunting their prey in the bush.”
Robert Moss, Dreamgates
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Today is World Storytelling Day, which started in Sweden in 2003, and is a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling. It is celebrated every year on the Spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, the first day of Autumn equinox in the southern. On World Storytelling Day, as many people as possible tell and listen to stories in as many languages and at as many places as possible, during the same day and night.
Each year, many of the individual storytelling events that take place around the globe are linked by a common theme. The 2008 theme is Dream.
We are always delighted to hear of great business stories, so today’s the day for sharing them!
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Nice article in Personnel Today about Storytelling as a tool to create emotional buy-in for training and development departments. Well, we’re not exactly a ‘training company’, but they’re right in explaining why this approach is so powerful. This topic is becoming ever-more prevalent in business circles, and for good reason…
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filed under Engagement
Communications consultancy CHA has recently published a report which highlights some fairly worrying news about the disengagement of employees and why they don’t seem to find their work worthwhile or meaningful. Read item »
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Ernest Hemingway once claimed that his best story was written in six words: ‘For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.’ Perhaps this takes clarity and simplicity to the extreme, but what a way to spark the imagination! The Guardian challenged some contemporary authors to put forward their own six-word stories, which are worth a read.
Our own work focuses on making an organisation’s strategic story clear, simple and memorable. Imagine writing a strategic story in six words - anyone up for having a go?!!! I’d love to see what’s out there!
posted by Alison Esse
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My attention was recently drawn to a particular blog from the MD of Waitrose. Apart from being most entertaining, it was a great example of leadership role-modelling, not to mention an excellent tool to bring the MD closer to his employees and customers as well as providing a great platform for health and nutrition for both customers and employees alike. Read item »
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What makes a good leader? And more importantly, why? Here are seven ‘top tips’ for leaders who want to inspire their people, courtesy of The Practice of Leadership… Read item »
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Interesting article from Simply Communicate on why storytelling should be promoted in business…
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Great article from People Management this month on how Storytelling can be used to engage employees…
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While we talk about the importance of connectivity and alignment, let’s not lose sight of the use and power of stories in our work. Our proposition is to create the energy and commitment required to execute strategic change, by connecting people to the strategic journey, and storytelling is an important part of our solution. Read item »
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filed under Stories, Engagement, Organisations
I enjoyed Melcrum’s Strategic Communications Summit last week. Great to see some old friends, new faces and hear some excellent speakers.
One of the key themes that kept cropping up was the ongoing issue of how to get middle / front-line managers to get on board with a company’s strategy. They are the ones who hold the trust of their teams, not the senior leadership team, so engaging them successfully - to the point that they will make it their business to engage their own teams - is absolutely crucial. Read item »
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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. Read item »
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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. Read item »
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filed under Stories, Organisations
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. Read item »
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I recall a great story when a little boy, sick from eating so much sugar beet, was taken by his mother in desperation to Mahatma Gandhi for guidance. She walked for days to get there, but was promptly sent home again by the great man and told to return in a month. The reason? Gandhi needed a month of sugar abstinence himself before telling the boy not to eat any more sugar. Read item »
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The Storytellers are delighted to be sponsoring the NSPCC team who will be participating in this year’s Microsoft UK Challenge (20-24 June, Yorkshire). This televised event challenges teams from the UK’s top organisations to race against the clock to complete, over four days and nights, one of the most testing courses imaginable across some of Yorkshire’s toughest terrain. To succeed (and win) competitors will require great teamwork and communication, physical fitness and mental aptitude and stamina. We wish the NSPCC team luck and courage as they enter the final days of training, and hope that all those taking part have a great time (and make it back in one piece)!
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Articles like this one from Australia’s The Age are valuable endorsements for our approach. We agree wholeheartedly that storytelling is a critical and valuable component of change.
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filed under Stories, Organisations
The Guardian reviews The Bard & Co….
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I’d like to pass comment on an excellent book - The Bard & Co, published by Cyan. Read item »
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