ABSTRACT
This chapter provides tips and hints for developing and conveying effective stories. It also highlights tools that the reader can use with those stories – particularly when talking with busy senior leaders. Storytelling is a powerful tool that helps to justify intelligent disobedience. A 30-second summary explains why the people need time with the reader busy senior leader. With this brief summary, the people can convey urgency in a brief hallway conversation, a short email, or a message that an executive assistant can share with their boss. If more discussion is required, the people can request a 30-minute meeting. After finishing the reader story, use the rest of the 30 minutes to discuss the nature of the reader intended outcomes and why current processes, practices, or expectations will yield suboptimal results. To get action, the reader stories need to highlight a gold ring – a significant step forward or improvement in outcomes – or aspirin – something that relieves pain or a shortcoming.
