Hello beautiful humans and welcome to Weirdos in the Workplace! I’m your host, Erin Patchell, and my quest is to turn business philosophy into business fact. Today we're delving into a unique aspect of business culture: storytelling and organizational traditions. If you've ever wondered why some companies thrive culturally while others struggle, crafting the myths and legends surrounding your business may be at the heart.
Stay tuned.
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In the words of the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, "In order not to overlook crucial things, I am accustomed to exaggerate." Isn't that what storytelling is all about? Exaggeration, nuance, and a dance of words to craft a tale that lasts generations, sometimes even centuries.
Historian Yuval Noah Harari emphasizes that "Humans think in stories rather than in facts, numbers, or equations, and the simpler the story, the better." This is as true in a boardroom as it is in a prehistoric campfire setting.
But can storytelling actually impact your bottom line? The answer is a resounding yes, and there's ample evidence to back it up. A 2019 study from Stanford University showed that stories are up to 22 times more memorable than facts alone. Now, apply this to a business context. A forgettable brand is a failing brand. If you can't tell a memorable story, how can you expect your customers to remember you when they're looking for a product or service you offer?
Remember, a company without a story is like a book with blank pages. The stories you tell, whether they're about how the company was founded, or how you overcame immense challenges, are your organizational "artifacts." These artifacts are not mere curiosities; they are the very DNA of your company. They influence how your employees see their roles, how the market perceives your value, and ultimately how resilient your company is when faced with challenges.
If you grew up with a favourite book series or author, then you know this feeling well.
I’m you’re younger than me, a geriatric millennial, your series might have been Harry Potter. One of my generation’s most popular series - my “Harry Potter” - was "The Wheel of Time". I first discovered the series as a 12-year-old and was like stumbling on a secret door in a familiar room, one that opened to an intricate world completely unlike my own yet eerily resonant with it.
The stories were a playground for my imagination, a training ground for empathy, and a canvas on which to project my rudimentary understanding of courage, friendship, and destiny. Characters like Rand, Mat, Perrin, Nynaeve and Egwene were not just names on a page; they became friends, mentors, and sometimes reflections of myself. Every twist of their journey was a twist in my gut, each triumph a shared victory, each setback a collective burden. As I navigated a complicated adolescence, these stories grounded me and taught me resilience, courage and the complexities of leadership and relationships.
Fast forward to seventeen years later at 29, standing in a bookstore with "A Memory of Light," the final tome, in my hands. It felt like holding an artifact, a relic of a lifelong journey both literary and personal. Reading the final words was a cathartic experience, offering a form of closure that was both bitter and sweet. I had grown alongside these characters; their trials and tribulations had been a consistent backdrop to my own. As they found their destinies within the Pattern, it felt like a nudge urging me to continue seeking my own path with the same courage, integrity, and resilience that had inspired me all those years ago. The Wheel of Time had come full circle, but what it taught me influenced and continues to influence the sharp edges of my life and helped make it feel safe for me to grow as a person.
Regardless of whether the story is truth or fiction, they are how cultures are formed, how traditions are passed down, and how values are instilled. In a rapidly evolving business landscape, these stories serve as your North Star. They guide decision-making, set the tone for your company culture, and can even influence your business strategy. A life without story is a barren wasteland. An organization without a story is an undeveloped wilderness, and a place to get lost.
Storytelling impacts numerous areas of your business, particularly your brand and marketing, culture and employee engagement, sales and customer relations, leadership and decision making, and customer loyalty as well. According to a study by Capgemini, 82% of consumers with high emotional engagement would always buy the brand they are emotionally engaged with, compared to only 38% of those who have a low emotional engagement. And a report from the Harvard Business Review notes that emotionally connected customers are about 52% more valuable than those who are just highly satisfied with a brand.
Why? Because a compelling story can evoke emotions, and emotional engagement is what turns a one-time buyer into a lifetime customer.
In the end, if you're not leveraging the innate human love for storytelling, you're leaving a powerful tool on the table. It's time to take control of your narrative and, in doing so, take control of your business's destiny.
Starting with your origin story, craft the tales and mythology of your organization around important milestones through the year; these might be internal milestones or external milestones such as cultural celebrations. The most important thing is consistency. This way, we’re not just building a brand; we’re building a legacy.
Storytelling isn't just fluff; it's a strategic business tool with measurable benefits. It's the thread that stitches together the fabric of your culture, the beating heart of your company.
Stories become artifacts—tangible cultural elements that are proof of your company's values, ideals, and expectations. They serve as templates for behavior and decision-making. Let's not forget, actions speak louder than words, but actions backed by meaningful stories echo throughout the organization. These stories become case studies, cautionary tales, or aspirational examples. They are told orally, through storytelling out loud to each other, and through words on paper to be used strategically, such as during onboarding a new employee.
Celebrations are another form of storytelling. They mark milestones, encapsulate values, and yes, become stories themselves. Celebrating achievements, even small wins, creates a culture of appreciation and aspiration. As the American philosopher and psychologist William James noted, "The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”
Your team will remember the celebrations—how you made them feel seen, heard, and appreciated. These memories become another layer of your organizational story. A win for one becomes a win for all, a chapter in the collective narrative that says, "We value hard work, and we celebrate it."
Establishing communication milestones or rhythms in your organization is like setting the drumbeat to which your business dances. Regular team meetings, quarterly reviews, or even daily stand-ups are all communication milestones that keep everyone in sync.
These rhythms become the lifeblood of your culture. They set expectations and establish norms. American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman once said, "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool." If you do not set clear communication milestones, you're fooling yourself into believing that your culture is self-sustaining. It's not; it requires effort, intention, and regular check-ins.
Speaking of stories and traditions, let's travel back to the 5th century BC. Themistocles, an Athenian politician, was instrumental in the development of the Athenian navy, which ultimately defeated the Persians at the Battle of Salamis. Themistocles knew that winning a battle wasn't just about having the most substantial fleet; it was about fostering a culture of pride, strength, and unity among Athenians.
He emphasized the storytelling of their ancestors, their victories, and their unique Athenian identity. He understood that traditions and stories provide a 'why' for the 'what'—giving Athenians a sense of purpose and a reason to fight.
Now, you may not be preparing for battle, but the business world is competitive. A strong culture is your armor, and a compelling story is both a weapon and a shield. Themistocles knew the importance of narrative and tradition; it’s time we put the same emphasis on these elements in our business culture.
Traditions and stories aren't just fluff; they create a bond of empathy. When you, as a leader, face the pressures that demand decisions against your cultural "playbook," your team will understand. They'll empathize because they know the stories, they've lived the traditions, and they understand that survival must sometimes take precedence over everything else. Talk about times when you’ve had to make difficult decisions and how you approached the decision. We human beings are most comfortable when we’re able to predict the decisions that someone is going to make, so let your team in on your thinking processes and build memorable stories around it.
As Joan Didion said, "We tell ourselves stories in order to live." And guess what? Your organization is a living, breathing entity too, and it also needs stories to thrive.
As a leader, you have an extra responsibility to not only uphold the culture but to embody it. And here’s the trick; sometimes you’ll have to make decisions that seem contradictory to your organizational culture. Leadership pressures are complex, and sometimes you find yourself between a rock and a hard place. A strong culture with a strong mythology embedded in values is
This marks the end of our episode today. Thank you for tuning in. Remember, as Maya Angelou aptly said, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Your words are important. Use them to their best advantage.
Muriel Rukeyser said "The universe is made of stories, not of atoms."
Let's aim to leave an indelible impression through our stories, our celebrations, and our rhythms of communication. Thanks for tuning in, and remember: be kind to yourselves, especially in leadership. Being weird is wonderful, but being empathetic is essential.
Stay weird, stay wonderful, and as always, don't stay out of trouble.
