Reflection - Storytelling

Challenge:

I work Commercial Department of a large corporation and the department is essentially made up  of 2 types of Commercial Manager (1) Commercial Manager Category (2) Commercial Manager  New Product Development. At our annual conference in 2017 we were brainstorming areas  where we were not engaging effectively with our internal customers. Our main challenge was a  lack of understanding by our stakeholders as to what each of the roles in the department does.  Feedback from our internal customers had shown that they did not understand the difference  between a Category Manager and a New Product Development Manager. The result of this lack  of understanding was the stakeholders saw us as difficult to deal with, having a confused  structure and therefore they often bypassed our department altogether, which created added risk  for the whole organisation.

I was tasked to find a way to communicate to our main stakeholders (Marketing and Technical)  what our function does, how to engage with us and who in the department does what. I decided  to use storytelling using visuals as a strategy for tackling this problem.

Application:

I obtained a time slot at the Marketing and Technical 6 monthly review under the area of  improvements and efficiencies agenda.

My plan was to take the attendees on a journey of understanding, and I mapped out what  information we wanted them to receive based on their previous feedback of their lack of  understanding. I mapped the information on a storyboard from lack of understanding to fully  understanding, then at each stage I considered what story (metaphor) could I tell which would  help them understand our roles, something that would create a memorable, lasting visual in their  minds.

Instead of describing a category manager as their role and what they do (negotiating contracts,  looking for risk, managing suppliers) I created a visual and a script around the category manager  sitting on top of a mountain with a telescope looking out across the landscape, and I talked to  their role and how their mind works from a series of stories of successes and failures.

I then took them through a similar exercise with the New Product Development (NPD) manager  role where I created a visual and a story around the NPD manager pulling a trolley behind him up  the mountain (the trolley contained the NPD projects) and behind him being guided was the NPD  team of which the manager is part of. Again I told stories about what goes on in an NPD  managers head (with thought bubbles) and threaded throughout historical successes and  failures.

Insight:

Using storytelling was more engaging for the audience, I was able to put them into the shoes of  the category manager or NPD manager so they understood the drivers for each. (To give more  context – this was not the first time we had presented to these teams, but the traditional  PowerPoint presentation with words and graphs had not previously worked.) This new approach  of taking them on the journey using story and visuals had a profound effect. We have noticed as  a team that our stakeholders are engaging with us more, but also that the enquiries are now  going to the right members of the team rather than through a convoluted process of forwarded  emails, which was previously the case. Our engagement score with our stakeholders has gone  up and we are now on the way being a ‘trusted business partner’ within the organisation.

Approach:

I would use the combination of storytelling and visualisation again because the results were so  profound. However for those more left brain members of the department (ours and theirs) I would  create an appendix containing the numbers/facts/charts which are comforting for those who  require hard data.


Reflection - Storytelling Challenge : I work Commercial Department of a large corporation and the department is essentially made up of 2 types of Commercial Manager ( 1 ) Commercial Manager Category ( 2 ) Commercial Manager New Product Development . At our annual conference in 2017 we were brainstorming areas where we were not engaging effectively with our internal customers . Our main challenge was a lack of understanding by our stakeholders as to what each of the roles in the department does . Feedback from our internal customers had shown that they did not understand the difference between a Category Manager and a New Product Development Manager . The result of this lack of understanding was the stakeholders saw us as difficult to deal with , having a confused structure and therefore they often bypassed our department altogether , which created added risk for the whole organisation . I was tasked to find a way to communicate to our main stakeholders ( Marketing and Technical ) what our function does , how to engage with us and who in the department does what . I decided to use storytelling using visuals as a strategy for tackling this problem . Application : I obtained a time slot at the Marketing and Technical 6 monthly review under the area of improvements and efficiencies agenda . My plan was to take the attendees on a journey of understanding , and I mapped out what information we wanted them to receive based on their previous feedback of their lack of understanding . I mapped the information on a storyboard from lack of understanding to fully understanding , then at each stage I considered what story ( metaphor ) could I tell which would help them understand our roles , something that would create a memorable , lasting visual in their minds . Instead of describing a category manager as their role and what they do ( negotiating contracts , looking for risk , managing suppliers ) I created a visual and a script around the category manager sitting on top of a mountain with a telescope looking out across the landscape , and I talked to their role and how their mind works from a series of stories of successes and failures . I then took them through a similar exercise with the New Product Development ( NPD ) manager role where I created a visual and a story around the NPD manager pulling a trolley behind him up the mountain ( the trolley contained the NPD projects ) and behind him being guided was the NPD team of which the manager is part of . Again I told stories about what goes on in an NPD managers head ( with thought bubbles ) and threaded throughout historical successes and failures . Insight : Using storytelling was more engaging for the audience , I was able to put them into the shoes of the category manager or NPD manager so they understood the drivers for each . ( To give more context – this was not the first time we had presented to these teams , but the traditional PowerPoint presentation with words and graphs had not previously worked . ) This new approach of taking them on the journey using story and visuals had a profound effect . We have noticed as a team that our stakeholders are engaging with us more , but also that the enquiries are now going to the right members of the team rather than through a convoluted process of forwarded emails , which was previously the case . Our engagement score with our stakeholders has gone up and we are now on the way being a ‘ trusted business partner ’ within the organisation . Approach : I would use the combination of storytelling and visualisation again because the results were so profound . However for those more left brain members of the department ( ours and theirs ) I would create an appendix containing the numbers / facts / charts which are comforting for those who require hard data .