WORKSHOP
The Blended Art ofLeadership, Narratives, and
Aligning Purpose
Richard CullomProduct Camp
September 10, 2011
Agenda
• The Value of Narratives in Culture• Leadership, Narratives, Alignment of Purpose• The Structure of Business Narratives • Finding and telling the Inner Truth• Stakeholder Specific Narratives
– You – Your Team– Your Organization– Your Customers
We are Narrative People(Complex and Messy)
• We thrive in gooey mess of complex, personal
relationships that change over time
• We like rules, when they apply to other people
• We fear change yet we hate tedium
• We are masters of situational ethics
Choice
• People choose their level of participation
• Why is the most important question of this century
• “Because I said so” no longer works
Leadership, Narratives, Alignment of Purpose
Build your narratives to provide leadership on WHY
Structure: For the Team
• In this current state, a cry is heard among the people• Something is wrong• A group of committed individuals recognizes the problem• They realize they are the only ones who can help• They form a team and begin work• They work long and hard, with great purpose and urgency• They bring the solution to the distressed• The distressed are able to free themselves of the shackles
• And there was much rejoicing!
A bond was formed, between the team and the people, which could not be broken.
Exercise: Breaking it Down
The Current State has a Problem that affects the Community
The solution we are providing solves the problem
We are the only people who can solve this problem
We must solve it now because people are not fulfilled in some way
When we provide the solution, the State of the Community changes
And there is a Happy Ending
Exercise: Community
The People (characters) who are suffering in the current state
Exercise: Current State
The environment (setting) where the people in the community live
Exercise: Solution
Describe the journey (plot)
Add the “why” for your team (theme)
Exercise: Villains
Describe the enemy CompetitorsTimeBugsDisease…
Exercise: Happy Ending
People want to be part of something bigger
People want to matter
People want to make a difference
Tell them how
Exercise: Putting it together
• Community in a current state
• Needs a solution
• We are the only ones who can do it right
• When we provide it
• The community has a happy ending
Organization
Organization
Team
Team
Rings of Belief
You
Convince yourself FIRST
Exercise: Find Inner Truth
Start with a theme
Give it time
Keep learning
Understanding People
• The elevator pitch – what do they want to know?
• The boss (1-3)• The lead architect (3-6)• The person selling the system (6-9)• One of your best customers (9-15)
• Story + Inner Truth + Personal Need + Corporate Impact – Time = Elevator Pitch
Exercise: Elevator Poetry
My TeamIs developing a Solution (the x project) To help a community Do something better,That gives them a happy endingSo they buy more from us,
trust us more, hate us less
Theme: Doing this makes us money
Embrace the Elevator
Go Tell Your Story!
Thank You