How to succeed by telling stories (how companies can bring their employees closer together by encouraging them to talk about themselves)

Article Type: Abstracts From: Human Resource Management International Digest, Volume 19, Issue 3

O’Connor C.Forbes (USA), 22 November 2010, Vol. 186 No. 9, Start page: 136, No. of pages: 2

Discusses the ideas of Murray Nossel, a psychologist and documentary filmmaker, on how companies can succeed in bringing their employees closer together by encouraging them to talk about themselves. Focuses on the work of Narativ, the company founded by Nossel and Paul Browde, a school colleague and fellow South African in 2000, to develop to teach people how to tell their stories effectively. Reports that they first offered workshops for the general public and then programmes for charities, schools and non-profit making organizations. Explains that Narativ also trains charity workers to communicate better with those they try to help. Illustrates these points with particular reference to the project undertaken in 2007 by employees of the Walt Disney Company, involving 100 people from 48 countries sitting in circles in a building in Cyprus telling stories in the voices of their grandparents.ISSN:0015-6914Reference: 40AB010

Keywords: Interpersonal communications, Employees,Organizations, Psychology