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CORPORATE STORYTELLING:
Discovering Fire for the Second Time
Vol. 5 Number 4 2005
Publisher: Evelyn Clark
evelyn@corpstory.com http://www.corpstory.com
(c) Clark & Company 2005
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"To change an organization, change its
stories."
--Gary Hamel, Author, Leading the Revolution
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IN THIS ISSUE
1. Branding through Stories: The Nordstrom Way
2. Have you caught ADT?
3. StoryCorps Keeps on Rollin'
4. An Easy, Lasting Solution to Holiday Shopping
1. Branding through Stories: The Nordstrom Way
Business people who are unsure of the value of storytelling
for an organization often ask, "How can you demonstrate that stories
have a bottom-line impact?" One of the best ways is to relate
a few success stories; and there probably is none better known—and
more highly regarded—than Nordstrom.
The first thing you think when you hear that name is most likely "customer
service." Nordstrom delivers on that brand promise so consistently
that when the company's name is mentioned, everyone within
earshot usually is eager to tell a favorite story about amazing service
they've experienced. A newspaper columnist in Portland, OR,
has added one to the collection about a clerk who eased a man's
worries about getting the tux he wanted on time for his daughter's
wedding.
As you read the story, ask yourself, "What's my company's
brand promise—and are we delivering on it so well that our
customers are eager to share their stories about how we amazed them?" If
the answer is "no," how are you going to ensure that
your story improves enough for your customers to tell it with
enthusiasm?
To read the article in its entirety, go to: http://www.brandchannel.com/papers_review.asp?sp_id=487
2. Have You Caught ADT?
Dr. Edward Hallowell, a psychiatrist who formerly was on the
faculty of Harvard Medical School, says as many as 40 percent
of corporate
employees suffer from ADT, a term that stands for attention deficit
trait. "It's sort of like the normal version of attention deficit
disorder," Dr. Hallowell says. "But it's a condition
induced by modern life, in which you've become so busy attending
to so many inputs and outputs that you become increasingly distracted,
irritable, impulsive, restless, and, over the long term, underachieving.
In other words, it costs you efficiency because you're doing
so much or trying to do so much, it's as if you're juggling one
more
ball
than you possibly can."
He goes on to say that no one truly "multi-tasks." Dr.
Hallowell asserts that the brain isn't able to focus on more
than one thing at a time, so when people see themselves as multi-tasking,
they're really just jumping back and forth from one task to
another to prevent boredom. Offering the example of one Wall Street
company that orders its employees to take several days off each month
to go away and think—without their cell phones, laptops
or PDAs, he encourages others to do the same. Higher levels of
creativity
and productivity are among the benefits of taking time away to
think.
To read the entire article, go to: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9589_22-5643561.html?tag=st.prev
3. StoryCorps Keeps on Rollin'
One of the many benefits of stories is that they help create
community and preserve a culture. Stories reveal the values and
identities
of individuals and entire groups, ranging from small groups of
friends to multi-national corporations—and even an entire country.
Aimed at representing the diversity of the U.S. and preserving the
richness of the nation's melting-pot culture, StoryCorps is
a national project "to instruct and inspire (editor's
note: and enable) people to record each others' stories in sound."
Launched two years ago in New York City with a recording booth at
Grand Central Terminal, the program is wrapping up the first six
months of the MobileBooths tour. Two recording studios on wheels
have been traveling the country, collecting stories from anyone who
signs up to record their favorite memories or interview their favorite
friend or relative. Many of the stories are posted online and others
are shared each week on National Public Radio (NPR).
Sponsored by Saturn, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and
NPR, StoryCorps posts the itinerary of the MobileBooths online so
those interested in participating can sign up. Experience the community
for yourself. Listen to representative stories, or sign up to participate,
at: http://storycorps.net/
***To identify the values of your organization, preserve its
culture, and build community, contact The Corporate Storyteller.
Learn
how she helped an industry pioneer gather its stories as a
lasting legacy
for employees—and how she will do the same for you.
Call 1-866-818-8079.
4. An Easy, Lasting Solution to Holiday Shopping
Take advantage of an easy, lasting solution for your holiday
gift giving. It's easy, it's budget friendly, it's valuable,
it's entertaining—and it's appropriate for employees,
customers, colleagues, suppliers, friends, neighbors and family members.
It's the perfect gift for nearly everyone you know (even a young
teenage boy loved it!) The gift: Evelyn's book, Around
the Corporate Campfire: How Great Leaders Use Stories to Inspire
Success (recently translated into Chinese!).
Anyone in a leadership role—parent, student, youth leader,
community service volunteer, coach, supervisor, manager, executive—will
learn how to be a more effective communicator by reading about the
stories told by respected leaders at companies such as 3M, Northwestern
Mutual, and Mary Kay. Give the gift that will be a lasting, valued
resource—and a constant reminder of your thoughtfulness.
To help you get an early and easy start on your holiday shopping,
we're offering Around the Corporate Campfire at the special
rate of just $15.97 per copy, a 20% reduction off the cover price—and
we're including sales tax in that price! (Modest shipping charges
are additional.) Order now and you'll have your holiday
shopping done before the holidays are underway.
To place your order now, go to: http://www.corpstory.com/products.htm
To subscribe to this e-zine, either complete the
short form on any page of the website - http://www.corpstory.com or send a blank email to mailto:subscribe@corpstory.com
Need help with your brand messaging? Bring the power
of story to your company, or to your organization's next conference
or retreat. Book The Corporate Storyteller now. Call 1-866-818-8079.
Evelyn Clark, The Corporate Storyteller
Author, Around the Corporate Campfire
t. 425-827-3998 (Seattle area)
e. evelyn@corpstory.com
w. www.corpstory.com
To subscribe to this e-zine, either complete the short form on any
page of the website - http://www.corpstory.com or send a blank email
to mailto:subscribe@corpstory.com
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your web address in an e-mail to evelyn@corpstory.com and we will
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