Reflection – Story Telling Tool

Challenge

I would like to use the storytelling tool in the field of corporate training. Working in well-established  international companies provides chance to embrace opportunities, helps to learn from innovators  and also adds interpersonal skills, leadership skills and professional development.  However, in order  to withstand the tight deadlines and work pressure, each employee should be trained himself to  undergo attitudinal change and should be motivated to push their boundaries. Corporate training  helps each candidate to train himself to embrace every opportunity with positive attitude. Corporate  training usually involves training needs that are difficult to visualize. The training needs include  induction, professional skills, product training, application simulation and soft skills. For imparting  these skills in an efficient manner, powerful method like story telling is needed to create higher  retention and recall, leading to a memorable and sticky learning experience. It is the motivation and  inspiration contributes to more than ninety percent of the success. And the best way to motivate is  through success stories of experiences, hard work and positive attitude.

Selection

The selection of storytelling tool for corporate training is based on the fact that a story based  learning approach always helps to create desired outcome for the customers when the learners are  well equipped and quick learnt. Stories always help to simplify a complex subject. Story telling can be  used to convert an abstract concept into something that is relatable and easy to assimilate. Also, it  can help learners to understand the consequence of their choices and help them correct in future. In  addition, stories help the learners to connect emotionally to the content and can be used to drive  attitudinal change.

Application

The story based learning approach can be used to train during induction, product training etc. Here  we first go through the first example of induction. The story is based on a new-joiner character who  gets engaged in various tasks from the first day. The another character in the story, who acts as a  trainer or guide and guides him how to go through various situations inside the company,  procedures to be followed up and also describes the do’s and don’ts. The story line basically ends up  like a conversation between these two characters and describes how the new comer clears all his  doubts. The information regarding various facets of the company’s business, history, mission, vision,  values, products, policies, and procedures are clearly explained in the form of story. Another  example includes the product training for the sales agents on a new product line. The stories of  consumers who use this product will help the learners to understand which feature of the product  resonates with each consumer profile. This equips the learners to handle consumer queries and  position the product correctly to each profile.

Insight

The insight I had from this application of story-telling is that a good story and compelling narrative  can always trigger a change in learners. It can connect learners meaningfully to the content. It can be  used as a strategic learning tool in corporate training to meet specific learning outcomes. Also, for an  effective outcome it is needed to use the powers of two elements in story-telling. One is the

compelling narrative of story-telling and the other is creative instructional design principles. The  story should have a beginning to describe background and origin, a middle portion to build-up  through challenges and an end to provide a logical conclusion with take-aways or that triggers the  required reaction.

Approach

Apart from story telling a combination of story-telling and visualization tool can make a profound  impact on the learning outcome. When stories works by engaging the listening skills of learners,  visualization engages the imagination power of learners. Hence a combine effect can produce a  tremendous increase in the recall ability of learners.

Hanan Hassan

Savitribai Phule Pune University


Reflection – Story Telling Tool Challenge I would like to use the storytelling tool in the field of corporate training . Working in well - established international companies provides chance to embrace opportunities , helps to learn from innovators and also adds interpersonal skills , leadership skills and professional development . However , in order to withstand the tight deadlines and work pressure , each employee should be trained himself to undergo attitudinal change and should be motivated to push their boundaries . Corporate training helps each candidate to train himself to embrace every opportunity with positive attitude . Corporate training usually involves training needs that are difficult to visualize . The training needs include induction , professional skills , product training , application simulation and soft skills . For imparting these skills in an efficient manner , powerful method like story telling is needed to create higher retention and recall , leading to a memorable and sticky learning experience . It is the motivation and inspiration contributes to more than ninety percent of the success . And the best way to motivate is through success stories of experiences , hard work and positive attitude . Selection The selection of storytelling tool for corporate training is based on the fact that a story based learning approach always helps to create desired outcome for the customers when the learners are well equipped and quick learnt . Stories always help to simplify a complex subject . Story telling can be used to convert an abstract concept into something that is relatable and easy to assimilate . Also , it can help learners to understand the consequence of their choices and help them correct in future . In addition , stories help the learners to connect emotionally to the content and can be used to drive attitudinal change . Application The story based learning approach can be used to train during induction , product training etc . Here we first go through the first example of induction . The story is based on a new - joiner character who gets engaged in various tasks from the first day . The another character in the story , who acts as a trainer or guide and guides him how to go through various situations inside the company , procedures to be followed up and also describes the do ’s and don’ts . The story line basically ends up like a conversation between these two characters and describes how the new comer clears all his doubts . The information regarding various facets of the company ’s business , history , mission , vision , values , products , policies , and procedures are clearly explained in the form of story . Another example includes the product training for the sales agents on a new product line . The stories of consumers who use this product will help the learners to understand which feature of the product resonates with each consumer profile . This equips the learners to handle consumer queries and position the product correctly to each profile . Insight The insight I had from this application of story - telling is that a good story and compelling narrative can always trigger a change in learners . It can connect learners meaningfully to the content . It can be used as a strategic learning tool in corporate training to meet specific learning outcomes . Also , for an effective outcome it is needed to use the powers of two elements in story - telling . One is the compelling narrative of story - telling and the other is creative instructional design principles . The story should have a beginning to describe background and origin , a middle portion to build - up through challenges and an end to provide a logical conclusion with take - aways or that triggers the required reaction . Approach Apart from story telling a combination of story - telling and visualization tool can make a profound impact on the learning outcome . When stories works by engaging the listening skills of learners , visualization engages the imagination power of learners . Hence a combine effect can produce a tremendous increase in the recall ability of learners . Hanan Hassan Savitribai Phule Pune University