Five Reasons to Promote Your Organization Through a Story

1. Story is the oldest and most time tested way human learn and remember information.

We all have the story telling instinct within us. We think, feel, and live thru story. As far back as we can remember, we have gathered in community to tell stories of who we are, where we come from, what we believe in, and where we are going.

2. Our evolving global world demands stories to help make sense of it all.

Most corporate communications are flat, alientating and lacking in passion and relevance. Organizations are struggling to stay on purpose and profit. Very few social institutions understand their proper place, power, and role in our emerging global reality.

3. There is an inherent, universal appeal of stories.

Storytelling's contribution cuts across every division, department and domain of the modern organization. Anywhere you have people interacting, relating and communicating with each other, story has a role to play.

4. There is a persuasive appeal of stories.

Good stories are the ultimate form of persuasion. They inspire, influence, reveal, connect, and motivate people to action.

5. Your organization's story = your brand identity.

Identity is forged and promoted through the use of story. The emotional connection to an organization can be strengthened and enhanced through use of the right story line. But more than just dramatics, organizations must learn to embody their stories across everything they do, and shape their culture around the stories they tell the world.

It's all about the STORY

When we meet someone new, we often ask, "So what's your story?" People love stories. They're the universal common denominator. As individuals, we use the basic concepts of stories in our everyday lives ("That's my story and I'm sticking to it..."). But what about organizations or businesses? Should they present themselves to the world through their unique story? Successful ones are all about storytelling. Nike, Whole Foods, Starbucks, all promote legendary stories of where they came from, who they are today, and where they're going.

If done right, storytelling can play a significant role in the success of a business. In the book "What's Your Story? Storytelling to Move Markets, Audiences, People, and Brands," authors Ryan Matthews and Watts Wacker mention that "storytelling has the power to change the destiny of a company, an industry, a nation, and ultimately, the world. It's a force as powerful and universal as gravity."

Or as Robert McKee explains in his best-selling screenwriting book Story, "The storyteller leads us into expectation, makes us think we understand, then cracks open reality, creating surprise and curiosity, sending us back through the story again and again."

Let's give a warm welcome to Oscar Fulford!

I couldn't be more excited to welcome my son Oscar to the world. Give it up for Oscar!!!!!!! (standing ovation in the blogosphere). He was born last Thursday at 8:31 a.m. and has been filling my heart with love and inspiration ever since. He's a big boy, came out 8 pounds, 4 ounces and 20 inches long. That's pretty amazing considering my wife is 5' 1" and about 110 pounds normally. He's got huge hands (that's his hand in the photo above...ok not really) and a kung fu action grip that's far beyond his five days of life. He's got big blue eyes like Mom, fine dark blonde hair, perfect rosy cheeks, and Dad's mouth (those are the early indications, time will tell of course).

Oscar loves to breast feed, kick his legs, snuggle, grasp my fingers, sleep with his arms over his head, smack his lips, stare at bright things, and be swaddled. O Man hates having his diaper changed, being hungry, being awakened when he's not ready, and is fearful of the big, huge, intimidating, engorged left boob of his momma.

At this moment, anything is possible for Oscar. I think he's going to have my wife's smarts, my dogged determination, and both of our wacky and creative sensibilities. We'll encourage him to develop his own gifts though, and to be the man he chooses to be. We'll be there to guide him and cheer him on every step of the way. It's just so exciting to see all of the possibility in this young man. The world is yours Oscar.

V is for Virtualization Sucka!

I write and produce videos for the high tech industry (mostly Cisco), and came across this gem as I was brainstorming for ideas. It's cheeky and absurd, even stupid. But it's a story with zombies, a ruthless and evil "butt-headed" consultant, and a brain-eating Mr. T. Pure brilliance! Get virtualized fool!

Fatherhood Blog? Not this dude.

I've been tempted to focus this blog on my imminent fatherhood, but I refuse to go there. I don't know why really. I guess it's because my interests are all over the place, and I want to be free to write about career stuff (writing, storytelling, creativity) rather than poopy diaper episodes or funny first words or random musings of a newfound perspective on life. Blah.

Today though, I'll simply say that while I'm super excited about being a poppa, I honestly have no freakin clue what I'm going to feel once it happens. I tried to imagine it a little, but I can't comprehend it yet. The baby is due any day now, so the next entry might be from my new perspective as a FATHER (still sounds weird to me). I reserve the right to write at least a little bit about the experience too, but then we'll get back to the regular stuff career stuff about words, phrases, grammar, stories, creativity, observations, etc.

Instead, check out this fatherhood blog.

I see the stork!

The stork is flying overhead, circling our house, carrying a little something in a baby blue blanket. Perhaps it's our daughter? Our son? I really wish the stork would swoop down and drop off the little one. We are so ready to meet this new person.

Short, Short, SHORT Stories or Flash Fiction

As a storyteller, it's important that I keep my narrative muscle in shape. So in between writing assignments and longer fiction works, I write short, short, SHORT stories. They also call this Flash Fiction. These super short stories can be anywhere from one sentence to 100 or so words in length (give or take).

Generally, I get out of bed in the morning, wander over to the computer, and start typing away Flash Fiction style. I try not to read the news of the day or check emails first, and I don't care really what I write about. I just start typing without thinking and see what bubbles to the surface. The goal is to speak directly from the dream world before the busy-ness of life infiltrates the senses. Sometimes I'm amazed at what comes out, other times it's complete crap. Here's a little short story about my lovely wife.

Blonde hair with light streaks. Thick and curly. Long whirligigs fall on either side of her face. Smells like an island spa on a moonlit night. I hold her from behind, spooning, my face nuzzled in the curls. My favorite place in the world, where I wake every morning.

Or another about my upcoming venture into fatherhood.

I'm about to be a father, and with that comes a sense of responsibility and maturity that's been building for awhile. When the child is born, I'll surely cry and realize something within me that's always been there but remained hidden behind the fog of youth. I wonder if my parents, gone for five years now, can see me now.


Check out these sites!

Common Ties is a great site that brings together artists and writers to create amazingly cool picture stories. You can write a story and submit your own art work or just send in a short, short story and they'll pair you up with the right artist. Stories have to be 50 words or less. Try to write a story in 50 words or less. It's frickin hard!!! Forces you to be concise. If you're a fan of this kind of stuff (graphic stories), check out this site.

For the super duper short stories, go to the One Sentence site. One Sentence is about telling your story ever so briefly (in one sentence). Insignificant stories, everyday stories, or turning-point-in-your-life stories, boiled down to their bare essentials. Fun stuff.

I occasionally post my Flash Fiction to these sites. It's fun and keeps that creative muscle flexed. As I like to say (actually I'm saying it for the first time)...NO FLABBY WRITING!!!