The story is the message: shaping corporate culture

Abstract

PurposeWhile all companies hope to create a positive organizational culture, many of the most effective use corporate narratives to communicate company values. The purpose of this article is to identify common techniques used in these organizations and develop a framework for leaders wishing to employ this method.Design/methodology/approachThis article draws heavily on personal interviews conducted with individuals in organizations identified as having effective methods of corporate storytelling. The interview participants ranged from CEOs and other executives to rank‐and‐file employees. In addition, this article conducts a review of relevant literature on the subject and distills a set of key components of effective corporate storytelling.FindingsThis article identifies four distinct characteristics of effective corporate storytelling: purpose, allusion, people, and appeal. Narratives which are told with a particular purpose in mind, which allude to a company's history and role in the market, which are told by the right person to the proper audience, and which contain an inspiring emotional appeal are far more likely to impact corporate culture and employee behavior than those which fall short on any one of these categories.Originality/valueThis article outlines a simple and straightforward framework for corporate storytelling. For both business leaders hoping to use a narrative to enhance or change a company's culture and for those studying effective leadership techniques, this article offers new insights from successful corporate storytellers distilled from personal interviews as well as key ideas from a wide array of existing literature.