So we were correct – big deal

About 9 years ago (I believe the Studios just celebrated it’s 9th anniversary)we started evangelizing Corporate Story Telling and why having a story and telling it is so important. Everyone who heard the message would say that they agreed and they could see why not telling their story could harm an organization. But like my last blog stated – Einstein’s definition of insanity “ keep on doing what you are doing and hope that the outcome changes.“

So many organizations just have not incorporated telling their story in their internal and external communications.

In the last blog, we also talked about correcting weaknesses this new year. If you are not incorporating telling your story in all you do including your brand, put it on top of your list. Over the past 12 months, we have heard more and more of successful companies openly talking about not only their story, but wanting to hear their clients/customers stories.

Nine years ago, we were correct in building our services around telling your story. Sometimes it just takes a while for a good idea to take root. Story telling is no longer a “cool” idea, it is a necessity. Thus this weakness becomes an even more critical one.

I am going to suggest to Denise, our Studio President that maybe our next ezine newsletter be about corporate story telling (even though we did one several years ago). It is no longer just our recommendation. It is an accepted practice for effective communications. Remember Marketing is just education your clients in your Story, Employee training is educating them in your story and reporting is educating your stakeholders in your story.

New Day, New Week, New Month, New Year Blah Blah Blah!

So it is a new year and time to re-energize yourself and your organization. This is the year that is going to be better than last year. This is the year that the organization is going to make its mark on the industry. This is the year that the new, big contract is going to be won - blah , , , blah . . . blah. We have all heard this and probably all said these same words to ourselves and staff each year.
You know Einstein's definition of insanity - repeating the same thing hoping for a different result. So I have a suggestion. Instead of making all those promises of the great things we have planned - take a different approach - and NO it is not being negative.
Look at your weaknesses. This should be the year that you will not repeat them. This is the year that those weaknesses will turn into strengths. So often we do not want to hear about our weaknesses. That is negative and depressing.

Rule #1: Celebrate if you have weaknesses. Be upset if you do not have any. Weaknesses mean that it can get better. No weaknesses mean this is the best it is ever going to get.
Rule #2: You cannot manage or grow your organization without having some sense of reality. Knowing reality may appear to be at first scary. It is actually “freeing”. It frees you to come up with solutions that can have possibilities of actually working. You have a better handle on success managing the known, not managing a fantasy.
So write down those weaknesses, embrace them, and start making meaningful improvements. A new year with old weaknesses being improved upon - now that is something you can work on.