By Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
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Abstract: This article examines how research supports the use of storytelling as an impactful organizational leadership tool. Several studies have found that storytelling enhances employee engagement, commitment, and performance when leaders skillfully use narratives to communicate vision, values, and appreciation. On a neurological level, stories stimulate emotional centers in the brain more than facts alone, increasing empathy, memorability, and observational learning. The article provides guidance for crafting compelling stories by identifying a clear purpose, using vivid details, featuring real employees, and relating to shared company values. It explores practical applications of storytelling across industries, such as a homeless shelter sharing client success stories to reignite staff purpose and a manufacturing plant praising international client feedback to boost morale. The article concludes that any leader can begin fostering organizational success through the timeless communication method of purposeful storytelling.
Storytelling is not just for entertainment - it is a powerful organizational leadership tool that can connect employees to their work in meaningful ways. From ancient times, storytelling has been used to educate, inspire, and build communities. In modern organizations, leaders who understand the power of story can use it to ignite passion, drive change, and foster employee engagement.
Today we will explore how research supports the use of storytelling in organizations, provide practical guidance on crafting and sharing impactful stories, and offer real-world examples of how great storytelling has enhanced employee experience and performance.
Research Foundation: Why Stories Matter in Organizations
Several studies have found that storytelling enhances employee engagement, commitment, and performance when done skillfully:
Denning (2011) surveyed managers across industries and found that those who used narratives regularly to communicate vision and values reported higher employee motivation, innovation, and retention compared to those who relied mainly on facts and figures.
A medical center study by McKee et al. (2008) showed patient satisfaction and employee engagement increased significantly after leaders started sharing "appreciation stories" about coworkers at staff meetings.
On a neurological level, research shows stories activate different parts of the brain than plain facts do:
Stories stimulate the brain's emotional centers like the amygdala more so than non-narrative information alone (Zak, 2015). This emotional resonance makes stories more memorable and impacts behaviors and decisions.
Functional MRI scans reveal stories also activate the brain's mirror neuron system, increasing empathy and the likelihood of learning through observation of narrative characters (Mar, 2004).
Stories strengthen employee connections by appealing to both emotion and cognition in ways facts alone cannot match. When done purposefully, storytelling is a leadership tool with real power to motivate, align, and retain talent in organizations.
Crafting Impactful Stories
For stories to meaningfully connect employees to their work, leaders must craft them strategically with clear intent:
Have a Purpose: Identify the outcome you want from sharing a story - is it to inspire, explain values, solve a problem, or build team spirit? Craft the narrative with that goal in mind.
Show, Don't Tell: Vivid descriptions and dramatic moments will engage listeners more than abstract discussions. Use specific, sensory details employees can picture.
Feature Real People: Authentic stories about coworkers overcoming challenges or customers helped will resonate more deeply than idealized versions. Get permission before sharing private details.
Relate to Shared Values: Highlight how characters in the story exemplified important cultural values like integrity, excellence, or community impact. This develops emotional buy-in.
Keep it Concise: For busy workplaces, limit stories to 3-5 minutes. Respect listeners' time with tight pacing and focused story arcs. Leave them wanting more.
With practice, leaders can identify and shape compelling stories from their experiences to foster real change in organizational culture and performance.
Practical Applications and Examples
Let's now explore some specific ways leaders across industries have skillfully used stories to meaningfully connect employees to their vital work:
Nonprofit Example - Sharing Client Stories: A homeless shelter director noticed frontline staff growing fatigued from challenges. She began each staff meeting by inviting a recently-housed client to share their journey out of homelessness with the help of shelter services. Hearing real impact reignited purpose and reduced burnout. Donations also increased as more community members heard success stories.
Healthcare Example - Storyboarding Change: During a hospital merger, the CEO held "storyboarding sessions" where managers drafted short stories illustrating how the new integrated model would improve patient care. Staff related more to envisioning concrete scenarios than abstract strategic plans. The storyboards helped gain buy-in for huge cultural and process changes.
Technology Example - Capturing Informal Stories: An IT company created an internal app for staff to anonymously submit and upvote "war stories" - amusing tales from projects gone wrong or innovative improvised solutions. These spread organically and gave remote workers a sense of shared experiences and humor and pride in overcoming obstacles together.
Manufacturing Example - Honoring Craftsmanship: A factory custom-builds high-end products and the plant manager shares audio profiles of satisfied international clients praising craft details at daily standup meetings. Hearing gratitude from those who benefit from their work boosts morale and attention to quality control on production lines.
In each case, purposeful storytelling was a high-impact yet low-cost way to connect employees to important goals and foster pride, unity, and resilience to drive better performance. With practice, any leader can begin identifying and crafting stories from their teams' experiences.
Conclusion
From ancient folklore to modern business communications, storytelling has proven a uniquely powerful way to educate and inspire. Research now shows why stories activate deeper emotional and cognitive processing than facts alone. Leaders who understand this can use stories purposefully to cultivate engaged, aligned employees committed to organizational success. This paper explored the research foundation for storytelling's impacts, offered practical guidance on identifying and crafting effective narratives, and shared real-world examples of how stories have driven positive change across industries. With experience crafting and delivering impactful stories, any organizational leader can strengthen employee experience and performance through this timeless communication method.
References
Denning, S. (2011). The leader’s guide to storytelling: Mastering the art and discipline of business narrative. John Wiley & Sons.
McKee, R., German, P. S., Greenwich, C. T., Mion, L. C., & Cherry, C. C. (2008). The national initiative for improving end-of-life care: Lessons learned about using storytelling to gain agreement and build understanding. The Joint Commission journal on quality and patient safety, 34(10), 580–590. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1553-7250(08)34104-8
Zak, P. J. (2015). Why your brain loves good storytelling. Harvard Business Review, 28.
Mar, R. A. (2004). The neuropsychology of narrative: Story comprehension, story production and their interrelation. Neuropsychologia, 42(10), 1414–1434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.12.016
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). How Great Storytelling Connects Employees to Their Work. Human Capital Leadership Review, 12(4). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.12.4.13
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