BOOK REVIEW - Stories At Work Unlock the Secret to Business Storytelling

STORIES AT WORK 

Unlock the Secret to Business Storytelling 

by Indranil Chakraborty 

Penguin Random House 

Pages 220; Price Rs 399

“This book has been written with the very specific objective of helping you to become a business storyteller………..it will also give you tools, techniques and processes by which you can coach yourself to powerfully use stories in business,” says the author.

We all loved stories in our childhood. Many stories ended with a moral that stuck fast in children’s minds. Some stories of heroes like Shivaji Maharaj created lasting impressions. 

However, as one grows up, education is full of facts, figures and formulas. Stories are rare in the classrooms. There seems to be a sort of bias that stories are all made up, that they are fictional, rumours, fanciful like film stars' romances or distorted accounts of historical events. If a salesperson loses an order and comes to report to his boss about how it all happened, the boss just snubs him saying, “Don’t tell me stories. They are just excuses. You failed to convince the client.”

In face of such a mindset, it is difficult for many to believe that stories can be of great help in promoting business.  But they will change their opinion when they know the author’s credentials. He has a degree from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and 21 years of experience with Tata, Unilever and Mahindra companies. He was Chief Marketing Officer of Mahindra Holiday Homes when he quit a corporate career to start his own “Stories at Work” organisation. The progress was tough but he has coached 1500 business leaders in business storytelling.

“This book helps you understand what a story is, why it is powerful and how it can be used to further a business’ interests,” says Piyush Pande, Executive Chairman and Creative Director of Ogilvy (South Asia).

The author contends that presentations made in the manner of a story can be more engaging, memorable, impactful and motivating. He quotes an example of the workshop of the Association for Talent Development (ATD) with 10,000 odd participants. “Simon Sinek dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt DID NOT USE THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION. HE ADOPTED THE STORYTELLING APPROACH USING FLIP CHART AND A MARKER.” (Emphasis added). The speaker who addressed the audience before Simon, “strode on the stage in a Versace suit, Italian leather shoes, a Madonna-style microphone and made a presentation that could be the dream of many. But after the event, when feedback was taken from participants, “they didn’t just remember the story but also Simon’s message. About the earlier speaker, the participant did not remember much. THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPEAKING TO SHARE AND SPEAKING TO SHINE.”(Emphasis added)

The book gives clear and easy to follow tips to use the storytelling pattern for (1) Managing Change (2) Training Super Salesman (3)Data Management (4)Knowledge Management (5)Brand Building (6) Cultural Transformation

A full chapter is devoted to explaining “Ethics and Power of Stories”. There are the following tips to uphold the ethics of storytelling:

·          Tell stories as you believe they happened

·          Tell people when you have made up a story

·          Don’t tell others’ stories as if they are your own

·          Protect confidentiality

“’ Just remember, that with great power, comes great responsibility.” 

 

“Wish this book had been written earlier.”  -  Nitin Paranjpe, President, Food and Refreshments, Unilever