Speaking of  storytelling,  this book might have ideas that would be useful in teaching managers how to influence others using arresting  and memorable  stories.I haven't    read it but I will.

 

Vivid stories can obviously be very influential in shaping beliefs even if  they are not   true. Last  evening  I watched a documentary on public television about the  Orsen  Welles documentary "War of  the  Worlds"  from 1938 which in a  radio broadcast in the US of 40 minutes which created widespread panic  and motivated  millions of   Americans to take unwise actions because they were convinced  by a fictional vivid story presented in an artistic way into  believing creatures from Mars were invading the earth. The   documentary also made   the   point  that   efffective  story   telling  as  an  art is   related   to   high achievement and  success.More recently the extreme political rightist views have been  traced to various stories, many untrue, told by  three popular radio broadcasters with good voices in the US. Of  course spoken  stories are especially arresting and memorable as some research indicates. Politicians of  all   persuasions have also obviously effectively used  stories to  influence the beliefs of   listeners over the years. Some have said that  all of  the other  arts -painting, drama, ballet,opera, and  even symphonic music  is  based on storytelling. 

 

It's certainly a  subject worth the attention its getting  from  our AACORN colleagues.

 

Steve Carroll