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Improving internal communication skills within a team is vital for collaboration and cohesion. A team that knows how to communicate both achievements and potential problem spots can do more for a company than one that only focuses on simply accomplishing tasks without interacting with each other. Here are five storytelling techniques that team leaders swear by to improve internal communication skills.
As with all stories, frame communication within narratives that are convincing and enticing. Stories that tug at heartstrings and inspire people to act will resonate with your team more than showing them a spreadsheet of the year’s highs and lows. Outline goals, experiences and challenges the way you’d make a story of a knight journeying to defeat a dragon.
People retain information better when it’s attached to a good story–whether it’s the company overcoming something, or an employee sharing how much working there has changed their life–so make your stories human, digestible, and effective.
Complex concepts might be hard for others to synthesize, especially at meetings where everyone has respective lengthy reports. Utilizing metaphors to describe information can make it easier for your team to grasp them. Relate new processes by drawing parallels to funny stories, imagery, or simple analogies.
An example of this technique is describing a valuable company asset or investor as your “golden goose.” In Jack and the Beanstalk, the giant owns a golden goose that brings Jack fortune for as long as he takes care of it. To some it may seem silly but drawing that parallel can easily explain what might take weeks to synthesize in pure corporate jargon.
It’s a common misconception that corporate teams and brands are only purely driven by sales. Share yours and your team’s personal experiences to build trust and encourage camaraderie. Utilizing real-life situations can make abstract ideas understandable and relatable, and can help make a deeper connection within the team.
Highlighting personal experiences can also show the world that your team is authentic and that a great amount of care is still part of company culture. No matter which industry you might fall into, showing that vulnerability will surely pay off.
A team that feels comfortable sharing their insights is a team that won’t shy away from making more difficult reports and calling out potentially problematic situations. Foster a culture where storytelling is encouraged. Through this, team members feel welcome to share not only their thoughts, but also knowledge.
Establish platforms like a team blog or whiteboard, or schedule weekly meetings dedicated to storytelling. Provide opportunities for your team to communicate in a narrative-driven matter. A ”numbers only” meeting approach might easily turn boring and unproductive.
It’s an unspoken workplace rule to stay away from blocks of text when it comes to sharing info to your team, so encourage employees to utilize relevant imagery! Including images, charts, and infographics to a report can complement your narrative as well as keep attention longer.
Visual aids also enhance comprehension and reinforce key points, so adding them to a presentation will ensure effective communication of your message. As long as the imagery stays relevant to the content, this technique can help make communications more inclusive and impactful.
Integrating storytelling techniques into your internal communication strategy can create a more engaged and effective environment for your team. This also builds stronger bonds between team members and can further encourage collaboration and bouncing off of each other’s ideas. Happy storytelling!
