Telling Narratives

Shaun at Anecdote has launched a mini-experiment in the form of Story Week. Each day, starting today, he'll be publishing a story and asking us to gauge the impact the story has on us. He's hoping the results will tell us something of what makes a story so powerful, and what stories move us.

Mosey on over to the first installment here ... a story by the US Storyteller in Chief, Barack Obama.

The New Simplicity

Summary

The organisations that will be successful in the future will be those that manage to embrace and leverage the increasing levels of complexity in the business environment. The word “complexity” is applied intuitively to many challenges, issues and problems where solutions are not immediately evident. We also term problems that are recurring in nature as “complex”, but do we really understand what makes a problem complex? Do we understand why certain problems stubbornly evade tried and tested solutions?

Thanks to extensive research in the social sciences and related fields we now have at our disposal a robust body of knowledge and practice applied to complexity in its many manifestations. We no longer have to feel paralysed in the face of complex problems – there are now methods we can employ in turning complex problems into ones that can be managed and solved in surprisingly simple ways. It is the new simplicity!

Content Overview

The New Simplicity presentation helps companies understand the levels of complexity that they face through establishing a practical framework of response.

The presentation synthesises, in an accessible manner, the academic roots of Complexity Sciences and focuses on building up a competency in dealing with complexity across all levels of the organisation. It answers the question why some problems are so persistent and resistant to tried and tested solutions.

As a 60 or 90 minute keynote presentation, The New Simplicity lends itself to being a thought-provoking conference input or a valuable input to spark strategic dialogue around real problems faced by an organisation or team.

Take Home Value

The audience will walk away with:

• a foundational understanding of the core principles of complexity
• an accessible framework for making sense of problems
• practical strategies for addressing complex problems
• and lastly, a sense of relief at how simple solutions to complex problems are!

Download the New Simplicity Brochure below.

Telling Narratives

Summary

Since the time humans developed language we have been using stories to communicate, educate, share and connect with each other. However, stories and narrative have not been as common-place in the business environment as they have been in our social settings – or at least we think they have not. The reality is that as the business environment shifts we are realising the benefits and rewards of rediscovering the “old skill” of narrative in a “new context”.

Many leading business thinkers have punted narrative and the ability to use stories as a significant skill required in the emerging economy. After a rocky introduction as a business discipline in the 1980’s we have seen an explosion of storytelling and narrative applications in business. There is now a need to gain a comprehensive understanding of the various applications of narrative in our business, and where to use stories to their fullest potential. In short, we need to understand how to open ourselves to “telling narratives”.

Content Overview

From traditional storytelling applications in the leadership context to gathering narratives in an organisation as a mechanism for solving complex problems, the Telling Narratives presentation provides a comprehensive spectrum overview of Business Narrative.

In exploring the nature of stories the presentation will show how leaders and employees alike may use stories and narrative for “high touch” applications that move people emotionally to “high concept” applications where stories become knowledge objects and disclosure points.

Take Home Value

The audience will walk away with:

• a comprehensive understanding of the discipline of Business Narrative and its various applications
• an ability to assess the relevance of Business Narrative in a range of contexts
• an appreciation for how harnessing the power of Business Narrative brings a human touch to business
• an ability to use Business Narrative in solving complex problems.

Download the Telling Narratives Brochure below.