Humans love stories! We love to imagine what happened to get us “here” and where we are going next and to convey those thoughts through story. We don’t have to tell them to someone else, we may just think them and repeat them to ourselves. The more we tell ourselves a story, the more we believe it and when we believe our stories, they become fact!
I am sure you remember in school where they told you that with 2 points on a graph, you can draw a straight line. People like to draw lines in their stories. If you only give people 1 point, they will make up a 2nd one to create a line they like. That line becomes a story and in time, the story becomes “fact.”
Managing your company means that you must become a storyteller, because if you don’t the employees will make the story up! And, as you saw above, if the story gets told enough times, it becomes “fact.” You might think, “well that does no matter because if I need to I can tell them a different story about what is happening.” What if I told you that it takes 3 times the amount of energy to change someone’s mind than it does to plant an original idea?
The effort to change an opinion is the same that an invading army needs to conquer a city. You will hear that an invading army requires 3 times the number of soldiers as an army defending a city. Like a city, opinions must be defended! It takes 3 times the energy to change an opinion believed to be based on “facts” than to provide the real information and set a more favorable opinion.
Why is this story telling so important to your business? Because if you don’t share with the team what is going on, they will come up with a story to match the “facts” they believe It does not make a difference if the “facts” are real or imagined, the team will believe them, and it will take you 3 times the effort to change their minds.
Now you might think, “Well, who cares what story they make up, it does not make a difference.” People like drama so they will create a dramatic story. Usually, there is a villain in a dramatic story and the “boss” is usually the villain in the employee’s story. Another favorite is that the employees, along with the boss, are victims of the Market or other outside forces.
The story people make up based on what they observe is usually a lot worse than reality. That story, as I said above, will get told around and people will identify random “facts” that match the story and strengthen the story. What is worse, the story will now become the teams focus, not the work in front of them.
Imagine a scenario where you as the owner decide to take a day off, but don’t tell anyone. You just don’t show up. Now the office staff does not know that you are just out fishing or having fun with your kids, so they start to think the worse. “Maybe she was in a car accident?!” and they proceed to spend the rest of the day commenting about your absence and not focusing on their work. Sure, they could call you and find out, but that would make sense and remove the “drama,” who wants that?!
How do you counter all of this? You share! You don’t need to tell people all the details of your life, but you need to share what is happening, the good and the bad. Why things are happening in the office and what you and they can do about it. Lead the team by telling them the story that makes them focus on what is best for them and the business. Share the financials and why it is so important to call the customer and ask for their late payment. The more you share with them, withing reason, the more they will feel part of the decision-making process and the less time they will have to make up stories. Create the “drama” yourself and make sure the team are the heroes!
Don’t know if you are telling the best possible story? Just reach out and let’s talk – rick@gramatges.com
Gramatges Consulting 