An organisation’s value is nothing more than a slogan unless it impacts employees’ behaviours. In this episode, we visit a Harley Davidson factory and see their company values in action. As I write this post I’m sitting on the TransAlpine Railway about to head off from Christchurch across the Alps in the south island of New […]

They say what a leader walks past without saying anything becomes the norm. So sometimes it really helps to see what your people will let slide or who will speak up. Today’s story should give you an idea for a little experiment you can do as a leader to see who will speak up so […]

One of the most important stories a leader can tell is one that provides insight on how to tackle problems in new ways. I call them intervention stories and some of the very best ones are from outside the business world. In fact, if you look back on the stories we’ve already shared on this […]

Today’s story illustrates the strong link between great work and what can been seen, heard, and felt in the workplace. You can tell this story to help your team understand how top performers appear and get a conversation going about what your workplace looks and feels like. It’s also a great model for an excursion […]

Have you ever had an employee who just didn’t fit, who wasn’t quite cutting it, and your boss suggests you should let them go? Helping people find what they are truly good at is one of the many jobs of a leader and firing someone should be your last resort. So it’s good to have […]

We often get asked “does storytelling work with finance folk, scientists or engineers?” There’s an assumption in their question that some professions only care about the numbers, the facts, and they don’t have time or an interest for stories. Well, nothing can be further from the truth, everyone tells and listens to stories–it’s a human […]

The way leaders react in times of high stress is a good measure of their character. And it is in these times of strain everyone is taking note of what the leader is doing. The leader’s reaction creates new stories that make the organisation’s culture. You can’t underestimate how important these moments are. Our story […]

A story type we love here at Anecdote is the story of a scientific experiment. It has the double benefit of giving you a story with a good business point and it’s based on peer reviewed research. An experiment story has authority, especially with people who value evidence and science. This week’s story is the […]

This week’s episode features a small story that’s versatile and really delivers. It’s about a bathroom renovation of all things. Sometimes business stories can come from your personal life and make a good business point. The beauty of many of our personal stories is that they are often relatable. Similar things have happened to the […]

With all the stories you’ll learn here in Anecdotally Speaking you will need a place, and an approach, to keep track of them so you can find good ones when you need them. So in this episode Mark and I run through some tips to create your own story-bank and give you some important advice […]