Storytelling has been around for thousands of years, and it’s arguably our most powerful tool for stirring emotions and creating mental pictures. We all think in image and narrative. Storytelling is a natural “pull” strategy, engaging listeners into imagining outcomes toward which facts alone would not lead them. By telling the right kinds of stories, and presenting the right kind of mental images, we can bring about profound change.

In my current role as a consultant for large-scale organizational transformation, I’m constantly searching for ways to get employees involved. How can they help design the change? How can they feel ownership? How can they optimize change for personal and organizational advantage?

For me, it all begins with stories: I want to find out how employees already wed their own stories into the change process. What are their tales of the past - the successes and accomplishments? How do they see the future - what are their stories of coming challenges and opportunities? I want their words, their images, their metaphors, and their unique ways of explaining change. Because then I can use those powerful examples to help people talk constructively and meaningfully about what is going on.