Storytelling has come of age in the business world. Today, many of the most successful companies use storytelling as a leadership tool. At Nike, all senior executives are designated "corporate storytellers." 3M banned bullet points years ago and replaced them with a process of writing "strategic narratives." Procter & Gamble hired Hollywood directors to teach its executives storytelling techniques. Some forward-thinking business schools have even added storytelling courses to their management curriculum. The reason for this is simple: stories have the ability to engage an audience the way logic and bullet points alone never could. Whether you are trying to communicate a vision, sell an idea, or inspire commitment, storytelling is a powerful business tool that can mean the difference between mediocre results and phenomenal success. "Lead with a Story" contains both ready-to-use stories and how-to guidance for readers looking to craft their own. Designed for a wide variety of business challenges, the book shows how narrative can help: define culture and values; engender creativity and innovation; foster collaboration and build relationships; provide coaching and feedback; lead change; and more. Whether in a speech or a memo, communicated to one person or a thousand, storytelling is an essential skill for success. Complete with examples from companies like Kellogg's, Merrill-Lynch, Procter & Gamble, National Car Rental, Wal-Mart, Pizza Hut, and more, this practical resource gives readers the guidance they need to deliver stories to stunning effect.
Paul Smith is a consumer research executive, keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and author of Lead with a Story: A Guide to Crafting Business Narratives that Captivate, Convince, and Inspire (AMACOM Books, August, 2012). He can be found at www.leadwithastory.com or reached at leadwithastory@gmail.com.
As Director of Consumer & Communications Research at Procter & Gamble, Paul has spent a career observing and researching what it takes to connect with, inspire, and motivate a change in human behavior -- in other words, leadership. Whether it's the CEO's speech to the board of directors, or the hallway conversation with your boss, his conclusion is this: the difference is storytelling. Great leaders do it well. Mediocre ones don't. Paul's book and training courses show you how, and provide a set of brilliant stories to start your collection.
In his two decades of experience at Procter & Gamble and Andersen Consulting, Paul has served in leadership positions in several multi-billion dollar business units, manufacturing plants, consulting roles, and sales teams working directly with global retailers including Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and Costco. He is also a highly rated leadership and communications trainer for P&G's management training colleges.
He is also a regular lecturer on leadership and storytelling in the M.B.A. programs at Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati. His work has been featured in Time Magazine, Forbes, The Washington Post, CIO Magazine, Investors Business Daily, Marketing Research Magazine, PR News, the American Banking Journal, and London's Edge Magazine, among others.
Paul holds an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio with his wife and two sons.
