Transforming Personal Breakthroughs
“A vicious pirate had just spied the golden necklace I hid beneath my shirt. What happened next was as shocking as it was life changing. We had already been stopped, boarded and robbed once before by pirates that prey on the overcrowded boats of immigrants determined to find a better life.”
Story Archeology
One of the top business schools in the world was facing a brand crisis.
The university representatives that travelled the globe normally filled the rosters of the school by just showing up at events. The name alone was the chief marketing tool. The past few years a disturbing trend was emerging. Parents were choosing competitor’s institutions for their top tier students.
The powerful brand was struggling
The solutions to their stalled brand identity were just underneath the mental memory of the university representatives. We used our story archeology process to uncover the powerful memories that already exist in their organisation and unleashed the potential for these memorable moments to find specific contributions to the organisation.
Facilitated action learning moved their thinking from desperately seeking to creatively finding
“Your story should speak a universal language, bust genres, and address your audience as human beings.”
Jonah Sachs, Winning the Story Wars
An Unlikely Ally Appears
The room was pin drop silent with all of us unconsciously holding the next breath until we learned how eminent danger was diverted.
The hypnotic hold of the representative broke as the upturned eyes of a child softly said, “He let me keep it. Without any explanation, he stopped, looked into my eyes, turned abruptly and walked away.” The pirate’s unexpected charity gave the family a small, yet significant monetary foothold in their new life. They started several successful businesses and their child, our story narrator, was the first generation in her family to graduate from university.
“This university has become part of my family. They have given me skills to succeed and the support of a greater family of alumni across the globe. Anyone who sends their child here will find the same welcoming encouragement and support from their new university family.”
A broad smile appeared on everyone’s face as a collective breath was taken.
The story of how a fleeing immigrant was able to graduate and then be employed by a world class university had never been told outside of the family.
Inuous 3 Step Solution to Become a Story Alchemist
Step 1
Find the story: most individuals struggle to activate story memory from pure reflection. We use brain friendly neuro-learning methods to unlock lived experiences that reflect the values, insights and passion of the person. Active facilitation guides individuals and teams through our story archeology process. Action learning combines intellectual understanding with emotional anchoring that yields the memories that matter most. Remember: the gold chain story had never been told outside of the family.
Step 2
Shape the message: the most memorable messages have been refined to draw in listeners and deliver genuine impact. Our Inuous performance coaches help carve out the core message, while showcasing the story speaker’s authentic knowledge and enthusiasm. Facilitate a discussion within the team to discover the stories that have relevance to the current context, while also delivering a memorable message. Remember: the power of the pirate’s charity!
Step 3
Share the meaning: A great story is an organizational branding resource
Personal Brand: The message of the gold chain is a powerful personal branding story. Any listener deeply understands the extraordinary journey and core value of family from our original story speaker. The personal brand reflects the organizational values.
Team Brand: Every member of the university team can insert a customized version of this powerful story into their own presentations because their colleagues’ journey accurately and authentically represents their values of the institution. The team brand shows integration of organizational values.
Company Brand: A powerful story can transform a brand. An influential story message cuts through cluttered marketing efforts and breaks down bias. A great story message brings the values and core beliefs of the company to life. It serves as a beacon that guides organizational leadership behavior and brightly illuminates an invitation to engage.