Narratives: Driving Boom or Bust?

I was listening to a political and ideological discourse recently and suddenly a phrase caught my attention - how narratives manipulate mind-set and influences behaviour of people in society. This set me thinking if it has any practical import for orgnaizations also. The more I think, the more I am convinced that most often unconsciously we create ‘narratives’ within organizations. A few ride the wave of success and most others keep groping in dark to replicate their success. They copy-paste interventions and initiatives of all kinds but hardly get different results. You will understand that narratives cannot be copy-pasted. They have to be created, even if it is the same ‘narrative’.

A ‘narrative’ is a story-line - real or imaginary - presented in a particular sequence of words (written or spoken) or images. The presentation is made in a way that makes its characters come alive. This is what makes ‘narratives’ powerful influencers - a perception of realism to its characters.

I am curious to explore and understand how these imageries are created in Indian organizations? What do organizations invest in creating these powerful ‘narratives’ through imageries? Do we do it at all or if we do enough? What is that a Manager could do to create powerful and positive narratives? 

Fortunately, we are a country rich in tradition of story-telling, evidenced through mythological stories, practice of evening gossip around fire or at group eating times. But I guess, mindless aping of western mores is dissipating and diluting this art form. I am not sure how many urban families sit and chat, share stories around the dining table. Technologically advanced tools in our hands are another source that is killing this amazingly powerful art-form. 

Am I right here? Are we losing touch with this art-form? Could it really create important differentiator in our organisational success? I am a certified international trainer on Leadership and work extensively around leadership development, executive coaching, change management and performance transformation consulting. I am sharing my thoughts here to explore and build on experiences with others. We shall then create a suitable tool that organizations could use to create their own narratives leading to team and organisational success, in their own way unique way. This could create a distinctive sustainable competitive advantage.

Every organisation knows google story and its success. Why is it that no one is able to replicate it? All organizations claim that innovation is a corporate value and that people are its greatest asset. Why is it then that most Indian organizations are not innovative? Why is it that Indian companies are not creating as many IPRs as it potentially could? Why is it that same Indian managers/ technologists who become successful when they work abroad with people from other countries - but with their own people, they are not able to do as well? Why despite spending so much money, time and energy on getting employees together to have ‘fun-time’, the people don’t feel very engaged with their organizations? Could some of these lessons lie in the type and quality of ‘narrative’ created within Indian organisations?

Let us look at employee engagement initiatives. You will notice most organizations spend in periodic fun-activities. Focus is either on ‘activity’ or the hyphenated phrase. Have you experienced fun-time? Have you seen people cutting across divisions and hierarchy participating in ‘fun’? Or is it largely attended by junior people, mandated by their managers and conducted by HR? What kind of narrative are we creating here? Will it necessarily lead to more ‘engaged’ employees or an additional activity for some role holders and some free-food, free-time for others?

Let us look at another scenario - periodic sales performance review. If individuals or teams are not achieving their numbers, the 1st response offered-and-accepted is - market condition is bad. Individual sales guys will keep coming for more discounts, more freebies and flexible target. By accepting such pretext or excuses, are we creating a narrative of ‘chalta hai’, without saying it in so many words? Often I have noticed, sales people explicitly discussing and encouraged to get the numbers, whatever means they may need to use, including overcommitting to customers or at times even wrong commitment. Irrespective of whatever may be your intent as an organisation on sales performance, whatever you may print on your presentations - what narrative is being created, silently and unconsciously? Will it create a hunger for success in the sales team? Will it create a performance culture in sales team? Will it potentially create a narrative that may be counter to the organisational values?

One could similarly look around for what narratives are being created by organizations, consciously or unconsciously. Understanding them may be a key to designing sustainable competitive advantage. 

Communication is basically an exchange of understanding. Human mind understands only images and imageries. Therefore irrespective of choice of words you use the imagery you create in the minds of your listeners - the narrative - is the essence of communication that takes place. The choice of words is therefore important but critical is the sequence of words and the context in which they are being used, because that is what helps create the imagery, the narrative. 

Communication therefore is a deliberate skill, contrary to what many people think that it is a natural skill. The skills is not so much in building an active vocabulary, but how to create a desired narrative - a desired imagery.

Request you to share your views and comments on this interesting topic. We are coming up with a skill dev training on Leadership Communication. What could help us create the right ‘narrative’ and therefore right impact for an organisational success.