CAM High Impact Leadership Module 6 Unit 3 PDF

MODULE 6 UNIT 3 Enhancing your communication skills © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved cam.ac.uk Table of contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Storytelling techniques 3 2.1 Strengthening your presence 6 2.2 Developing your presentation skills 7 3. Useful tools and tips 9 4. Co...

MODULE 6 UNIT 3 Enhancing your communication skills © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved cam.ac.uk Table of contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Storytelling techniques 3 2.1 Strengthening your presence 6 2.2 Developing your presentation skills 7 3. Useful tools and tips 9 4. Conclusion 10 5. Bibliography 11 © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 2 of 11 cam.ac.uk Learning outcomes: LO5: Evaluate the power of storytelling in business to influence change. LO6: Formulate a personal narrative that will enable you to have high impact in your sphere of influence. 1. Introduction Why does storytelling matter to business? Annette Simmons (2007:3-4), author of Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins, suggests that “stories interpret raw facts and proofs to create reality”. Therefore, if you “[c]hange the story…you change the meaning of the facts”. In other words, storytelling provides a compelling reason for stakeholders to support your business or organisation. By gaining the support of your stakeholders, storytelling can prove effective in influencing change. In these notes, you will learn about the power of storytelling for business and how this can influence change. By exploring the practices and strategies that underpin storytelling, you will learn how to formulate your own personal narrative to enable you to have a high impact in your spheres of influence. You will also explore how storytelling is an essential skill for high impact leaders. 2. Storytelling techniques Storytelling enhances communication, engagement and connection. For a high impact leader, it is crucial to have strong communication and storytelling skills. At times, leaders may find themselves adrift in the data and complexity of an issue, making it difficult for them to engage effectively with other stakeholders. In order to create a compelling vision, it is necessary “to put yourself in the shoes of your listener…and help them see the issue for themselves” (Arden, 2017). Simmons (2007:19) defines storytelling as “a reimagined experience narrated with enough detail and feeling to cause your listeners’ imaginations to experience it as real”. In other words, the purpose of telling stories is to give your listeners the motivation to buy into your vision. Storytelling also fuels perceptions and can be an effective tool for persuading an audience. By drawing the listener into the “reimagined experience” (Simmons, 2007:19), leaders can draw stakeholders closer. At a general level, stories form a crucial part of how humans interpret events as either positive or negative. People use stories in their daily lives to communicate their experiences with others. By placing events and experiences into narrative form, they are able to relay information to others, as well as communicate how such information should be interpreted. As Simmons (2007:17) suggests, when you “activate new stories you transport people to new points of view, change meaning, behavior, and in that way — you change the future”. © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 3 of 11 cam.ac.uk This view is also reflected in Stephen Denning’s book, The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling (2005). Denning spent more than 30 years at the World Bank, an experience that taught him the importance of storytelling when it comes to convincing stakeholders and creating a compelling vision of the future. Quoting Noel Tichy (cited in Denning, 2005:230), he says that winning leaders “create and use future stories to help people break away from the familiar present and venture boldly ahead to create a better future”. Storytelling has an important role to play in the business world. Reissner and Pagan (2013) describe corporate storytelling as “the communication of the organisation’s vision, mission and identity in story form”. This means that storytelling can be a potent driver of strategic change in organisations, by creating an experience that allows strategy to be understood on a personal level. In turn, this enables the building of stronger teams and a sense of community within the organisation. Storytelling also helps extend the reach of your organisation. The stories that you tell about your business are likely to be repeated, turning abstract thought into practical application. Every story told about your product or service will either enhance or diminish your ability to satisfy your consumers. In today’s global, hyperconnected world, storytelling can also assist in creating human connections. Simmons (2007:3) suggests that the “absence of human presence in today’s high-tech lifestyle leaves people starved for attention”, meaning that the role of stories is to “help people feel acknowledged, connected, and less alone”. Telling stories thus serves to create connections between different individuals, or between your business and the individuals you want to reach. Therefore, engaging with human emotions within your stories is a powerful means of creating connections. You learnt in Unit 1 about stakeholder engagement and in Unit 2 about the power of collaboration and partnership, so it should be clear that creating connections is an essential and powerful strategy and skill for high impact leadership. In addition to creating connections, stories also protect your brand from feelings of apathy, mistrust and disconnection, by highlighting reasons for the public to be inspired by your product or service and feel a sense of commitment and trust in your offerings. Additionally, negative future stories can help your stakeholders imagine what might happen if they don’t take action. Denning (2005:241) comments that “negative future stories act as a burning platform that gets people’s attention, shakes them out of their complacency and forces them to begin thinking of alternatives”. Understanding storytelling and strengthening your presence are key factors in developing your presentation skills. In Video 1, Ella Saltmarshe expands on the importance of effective storytelling techniques, especially in business. She speaks from her experience as a seasoned business practitioner and former TED speaker. © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 4 of 11 cam.ac.uk Video 1: The power of storytelling in leadership (Part 1). In Video 2, Saltmarshe continues her discussion on the power of storytelling in leadership. Video 2: The power of storytelling in leadership (Part 2). As highlighted in these videos, there are key differences between stories and narratives. There is also much to learn from Saltmarshe and her colleagues’ approaches to telling stories and crafting narratives. Approaching storytelling from a practical perspective, Saltmarshe outlines some of the key considerations for those who want to develop their abilities. © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 5 of 11 cam.ac.uk 2.1 Strengthening your presence What is “presence” and how does this enable high impact leadership? Presence “is not some innate quality that you either have or do not”. It is “a set of learned behaviors that enable you to command attention” and inspire others (Ehrlich, 2011). There is a distinct link between presence and communication, which is evidenced in circumstances where high impact leaders can command attention with their presence alone. Rebecca Shambaugh (2012) defines executive presence as “the way one carries and conveys oneself, including confidence, composure, decisiveness, authenticity and the ability to communicate in an articulate manner”. As illustrated in Figure 1, executive presence can be understood through four primary characteristics. Figure 1: The characteristics of presence. (Adapted from: Shambaugh, 2012) As you can see, communication is once more highlighted as a key factor underpinning presence, indicating that it can align the leader with the business. It is easy for a leader to build trust when they are both present and able to maintain alignment with their organisation’s mission statement. Figure 2 outlines six principles for improving presence. © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 6 of 11 cam.ac.uk Figure 2: Six principles for improving presence. (Adapted from: Ehrlich, 2011) Which of these six principles do you think would be most beneficial for you to work on? If this is something you are interested in exploring further, watch Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk on Power Posing. Executive presence and gender: Executive presence and the notion of “looking like a leader” are often correlated with career progression. Due to gender bias in the workplace, women tend to undergo more scrutiny than men about their appearance and demeanour. You may be interested to learn more about the gender dynamic that affects the development of executive presence. 2.2 Developing your presentation skills Authenticity is a prized presentation skill in high impact leadership. Learning how to communicate information authentically and accurately can be a tricky process, but it is worthwhile, as inauthentic speakers run the risk of losing their audience. For this reason, it is important to assess the way your personal strengths can contribute to your presentation skills. As Ron Ricci (cited in Gallo, 2014) suggests: ...everyone has an individual communication style. Don’t try to be somebody that you’re not. If you’re an engineer and you like to communicate with facts, data, and logic, communicate with facts, data, and logic. It’s where you will be the most effective. If you’re a conceptual thinker then communicate with analogies, metaphors, and imagery. Authenticity is what creates great scores because it allows you to maximize your strength as a person and a communicator. © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 7 of 11 cam.ac.uk In Video 3, Zoë Arden reiterates the importance of authenticity in storytelling. In this video, she discusses practical tips for storytelling, specifically how to create a narrative and develop presentation skills. Video 3: Effective storytelling techniques and presentation skills. As Arden highlights, effective storytelling starts with active listening and entails really honing your narrative to fit your audience. Presentation and storytelling needn’t be the calling of a select few leaders. Instead, high impact leaders such as yourself can continually develop storytelling and presentation techniques by studying the examples of seasoned speakers to learn how to communicate for influence. In the following case study, as well as in the enrichment activity in this unit, you have the opportunity to reflect on the examples of talented orators and learn from them. Case study – Presentation skills at Cisco: Former Cisco CEO John Chambers is known for his impeccable presentation skills and is considered by many to be “one of the most astonishing public speakers on the business stage” (Gallo, 2014). Chambers is a big supporter of storytelling and presentation skills within Cisco, and argues that effective communication within a company can better enable internal processes and practices (Gallo, 2014). Beyond the organisational level, effectively communicating a brand’s story incentivises consumers to support the company. To facilitate better communication, Cisco has launched an executive communication programme. As part of this programme, executives are rated on their communication skills after every presentation. Attendees are asked to rank the speaker on both content and delivery. This feedback allows speakers to identify the areas of their presentation skills that require development. By using such data and metrics, the executive board at Cisco is able © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 8 of 11 cam.ac.uk to motivate employees to improve their presentation skills, which – in turn – leads to better performance for their customers and stakeholders. How does your organisation facilitate the development of presentation skills? Do you think an approach such as the one followed by Cisco would be beneficial within your context? 3. Useful tools and tips It is not just an old adage that the best storytellers are also good listeners. The practical truth is that if you wish to influence others, your communication style should be reciprocal – communication should flow both ways. Beyond being a good listener, there are a number of approaches that can help you develop your presentation and communication skills even further. Figure 3 outlines a five-step approach to honing your skills. Figure 3: Five steps to improving your storytelling. (Adapted from: Kappel, 2018) © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 9 of 11 cam.ac.uk As shown in the figure, there are a number of ways to improve your storytelling abilities, but they will require some self-reflection on your part, and some will be easier to master than others. Building a high impact narrative is a crucial skill for leaders. As you go about crafting one, start with what you want your audience to take away. In other words, what is the one message you want people to retain when they leave the room? This message should be a clear, positive and action-oriented statement. It is also useful to consider your audience and how they will interpret your narrative. When thinking about your audience’s perspective, ask yourself: What’s in it for them? Why should they care? Why is the goal in your narrative a good thing? In the cases of senior business audiences, consider the action that you want them to take and whether or not this is clearly communicated and motivated. A high impact narrative will also be supported with evidence and examples that make it robust and memorable. Think about how you can illustrate your narrative with examples, anecdotes (from customers or employees), metaphors and analogies. Paint a picture of what’s possible with scenarios. You can also draw on storytelling language and memorable details or use phrases such as “imagine”, “picture this” or “what makes us different is”. When referring to dates or data, try to place them in context for your audience so that they understand the relevance. This can be achieved through phrases such as “what this means is” or “what we can understand by this is”. A strong narrative will conclude with your key takeaway message. What will your audience remember when they leave the room? Presentation tips: There are many different resources that can assist you in developing your presentation skills. Learn more about how to present with more stories and less PowerPoint. You might also be interested in learning from leaders who are known for their presentation skills, or exploring nine tips to enrich your business presentations. 4. Conclusion Communication at its broadest is a means of bridging gaps between individuals and, as you have learnt throughout this course, this is also a characteristic of high impact leadership. By telling powerful and compelling stories, a leader is better positioned to steer their organisation towards achieving its goals. As you will have learnt in these notes, storytelling can be a powerful motivator. In order to harness the power of storytelling, it is necessary for you to hone your presentation skills and strengthen your presence. Ultimately, becoming a better communicator will enable you to continue on your journey of high impact leadership. © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 10 of 11 cam.ac.uk 5. Bibliography Arden, Z. 2017. The power of storytelling for business engagement on sustainability. Available: https://leadersquest.org/blog/the-power-of-storytelling-for-businessengagement-on-sustainability [2018, August 27]. Denning, S. 2005. The leader’s guide to storytelling: mastering the art and discipline of business narrative. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Ehrlich, J. 2011. Developing executive presence. Harvard Business Review. Available: https://hbr.org/2011/12/developing-the-presence-of-an [2018, August 20]. Gallo, C. 2014. Cisco’s obsession with presentation skills makes managers better leaders. Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/08/13/ciscosobsession-with-presentation-skills-makes-managers-betterleaders/#7aaea2cc55c6 [2018, August 20]. Goulston, M. 2011. The importance of executive presence. Available: https://www.businessinsider.com/leadership-presence-2011-6?IR=T [2018, August 20]. Kappel, M. 2018. 5 essential tips for business storytelling. Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikekappel/2018/01/17/5-essential-tips-forbusiness-storytelling/#4993ff3e454d [2018, August 20]. Reissner, S. & Pagan, V. 2013. Storytelling in management practice: dynamics and implications. New York: Routledge. Shambaugh, R. 2012. How important is executive presence to executive success? Available: http://www.shambaughleadership.com/2012/10/24/how_important_is_executive_ presence_to_executive_success/ [2018, August 20]. Simmons, A. 2007. Whoever tells the best story wins: how to use your own stories to communicate with power and impact. New York: Amacom. © 2018 University of Cambridge All Rights Reserved Tel: +44 203 457 5774 | Email: [email protected] | Website: getsmarter.com Page 11 of 11