Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results [Hardcover]

Lori L. Silverman (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2006

This book includes real-life examples from over 70 respected organizations, small and large, representing a multitude of industries using stories to drive results. Leaders from organizations such as Microsoft, Lands’ End, Verizon, U.S. Air Force, and World Vision demonstrate the strong positive influence stories can have. No abstract theories or platitudes are conveyed here. The book spells out how Kevin Roberts, CEO worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi, achieved sustained sales growth after several mergers and downsizings caused the organization to fall on hard times. It also shows how Erik Shaw, president and CEO of FivePoint Federal Credit Union, overcame resistance to an organizational name change, resulting in membership growth exceeding the national average.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An easy-to-read, well-organized compilation of stories that demonstrate their power across a broad spectrum of business needs."
Ellen Bovarnick, vice president, Business Process Excellence, The Coca-Cola Company

"Offers fresh ideas for introducing stories into organizations and inspiring better leadership through them. A well-researched and lively reference for leaders."
John Alexander, president, Center for Creative Leadership

"Takes the concept of organizational stories from a pleasant idea to a practical means to advance strategy, product development, and ultimately shareholder value."
Anita Brick, director, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business

"Loved the book. My hope is that it will create a new generation of leaders who will stop numbing people with spreadsheets and pie charts, and start inspiring them with stories that illuminate mission, values, and goals."
Frank D. Byrne, M.D., president, St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center, a part of the SSM HealthCare system

"Leaders in all walks will benefit from Silverman's real-world accounts of storytelling successes in high-performing organizations."
Daniel M. Sprague, CEO, The Council of State Governments

"A customer service story, a story illustrating our history, or a story exhibiting commitment to shared goals can inspire more deeply than a directive from on high. Put flesh on the bone. Tell a story."
Arne M. Sorenson, CFO, Marriott International

"When just about every fact is but one mouse click away, stories take on new importance. From leadership to branding, narrative has become an essential tool. These essays offer savvy advice on how to unleash the power of stories in your organization."
Daniel H. Pink, author, A Whole New Mind

"Illustrates how the use of stories will help your organization achieve positive outcomes. A must-read for anyone in an organization fac --Vicki L. Chvala, executive vice president, American Family Insurance

Review

This book includes real-life examples from over 70 respected organizations, small and large, representing a multitude of industries using stories to drive results. Leaders from organizations such as Microsoft, Lands??? End, Verizon, U.S. Air Force, and World Vision demonstrate the strong positive influence stories can have.??No abstract theories or platitudes are conveyed here. The book spells out how Kevin Roberts, CEO worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi, achieved sustained sales growth after several mergers and downsizings caused the organization to fall on hard times. It also shows how Erik Shaw, president and CEO of FivePoint Federal Credit Union, overcame resistance to an organizational name change, resulting in membership growth exceeding the national average.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass (October 13, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787982709
• ISBN-13: 978-0787982706
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.2 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #870,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Should be "here are some organizations who have used stories to drive results", February 6, 2007

By 

Kien Leong "focus on the results" (Shanghai, China) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results (Hardcover)

This book fails to provide real content that is true to the title. It is true that are many examples of companies who have gained impressive benefits from using stories, but they are brief references and provide no actual method or useful insight. It seems that the book is written purely for the purpose of convincing the reader that stories have a benefit in business.

Like many other readers, I find this approach mildly insulting; I do not need a whole book to convince me of the value of stories. I would not have dedicated hours of my day to the task of reading it if I was uncertain of the concept. I was looking for practical advice and helpful suggestions on practice and implementation.

All through this book, I couldn't shake the feeling that the author was using it as reference collateral for her consulting business. There is a ream of annoying business books that have a similar message- "hey look, here are lots of companies that are doing something and getting great results! You should really be doing it too!". They all fall short of the task of actually helping with the enterprise and provide little guidance for making similar achievements.

I still have faith in the power of stories despite this book, because I read "Stories Trainers Tell". This has everything that "Wake me up..." does not. It is excellent, yet also co-written by Lori Silverman, which suggests that her own content has far more value than the pieces she selected as an editor. I am glad that I didn't get disillusioned with the concept and had the perseverance to read this far more worthy second title. I would advise other readers to skip the first step and buy "Stories Trainers Tell" from the beginning instead.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the most illuminating book I've read, November 7, 2006

By 

Nancy Chou (Sunnyvale, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results (Hardcover)

Based on an emailed recommendation, I ordered this book. The book failed to take me to the next level in terms of learning how to tell stories better/more effectively. I expected either a "how to" tutorial or a book full of examples that I could easily extrapolate and apply to my own situation. Instead, the author spent the entire book evangelizing the benefits of good storytelling thus failing to acknowledge that I was long CONVINCED that storytelling is an effective managment/communication tool and that good storytelling skills are essential to develop. By not taking me to the next level, this book felt like "empty calories".

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful perspective for business managers, February 14, 2007

By 

Ronald Charnock - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results (Hardcover)

This book fulfills its main purpose - "to increase the visibility and influence of story work in organizations, particularly in practical applications to a variety of business disciplines ... and business needs related to topics like organizational change ...". It really answers the "why stories" question for managers. It clearly and concisely provides descriptions and examples of how managers in a variety of business functions such as customer service or development achieved results using story as a motivating communications medium.

I was a CEO that had responsibility for building a company from startup. And I had no, none whatsoever, experience doing that. So, I used my management 101 OJT "training" as my touchpoint. Set objectives, create a plan, monitor activities, make changes as needed, meet or exceed objectives. Control, task, measure, reward, punish. Repeat, continually and repeatedly.

Distress, frustration, even anger were the dominant emotions. Conflict and confrontation were the behaviors. And grey hairs were the physical manifestation. And I have many grey hairs. There had to be a better way.

I read every leadership self help book there was. They were formulaic and that fit my left brain style. I tried a bunch and guess what - more grey hairs! I started to realize though, that there were some underlying aspects that the self help stuff contained, usually pretty implicitly. Story - the ability to share a vision and create community through the telling and listening to stories - really struck me. I remember the day it hit me. I've never had children however I was riding in a car with my significant other's three kids and all they wanted to have mommy do was tell stories. And she did. And they kept asking for more. I realized that the stories were building a bond that didn't exist in our company. Coincidentally, around the same time, we were going through an Initial Public Offering. I was spending as much time and energy with our investment bankers, and ultimately the fund managers as we Gulfstreamed around the country, on the story as we did on the legal and financial matters. The story sold the buy side guys on why they should buy shares at the price we wanted in the offering. If it was so essential in this most critical of business operations, raising capital, why weren't we using it in other business operations. Heck, we weren't even doing a good job of telling our story with marketing, let alone sales, operations, human asset management, development, customer service and all the other dimensions of the business. And most of all, our culture while energetic and enthusiastic, lacked community and vision.

Lori uses a powerful technique - stories told by real managers in real companies that can clearly credit the story as achieving real results. I believe that the ability of leaders to develop the discipline of story is one of the most powerful management tools. It is creative and moves people forward. Not like the reactive tools of control, protect, comply. Ms. Silverman's collection of many successful stories provide guidance and new insights for all levels of management. I hope they, like me, read it and learn its many lessons on the real power of stories.