Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir men’s blood. Make big plans, aim high in home and work and let your watchword be order and you beacon beauty.
-David Burnham
In Chip & Dan Heath’s book, Made To Stick. One of the principles they share is the importance having compelling story. We discussed the six principles of Made to Stick in our June 22nd newsletter.
How do we get people to act on our ideas? We tell stories. Research shows that mentally rehearsing a situation helps us perform better when we encounter that situation in the physical environment. Similarly, hearing stories acts as a kind of mental flight simulator, preparing us to respond more quickly and effectively.
This principle can be applied not only in your marketing efforts, but also in the day to day management of your business.
Toyota calls it their ‘Hoshin’ or ‘True North’. It’s using the power of story telling to get everyone on the same page.
It creates buy-in. It brings absolute clarity to the overall goal of an initiative. It deepens everyone’s understanding of the challenge ahead.
Even if you’re a one person shop, this can be a powerful tool. Chances are you still have to work with people and you still need to get them to act on your ideas.
Now if you’re thinking you need to sit down and pen J.K. Rowling-sized, 800 page tome – don’t worry. Brevity and simplicity are the keys here.
Think of John F. Kennedy’s declaration that we would “put a man on the moon and return him safely by the end of the decade.” That’s a compelling story that mobilized an entire nation.
Additional Resources to help you create your story:
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Getting the Right Things Done by Pascal Dennis
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Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
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