This meme has been making the social media rounds lately. Which sign caught your eye?
Both demand compliance, yet one is an order and the other is a story that causes a physical reaction.
Why is that?
I believe that bad decisions are made when we do not understand why we are being asked to do something …
“if you alw”ys tell people why they’ll understand it better, they’ll be more critical, and they’ll be likely to comply.
And when the time is right, and you don’t have to explain fully, they’ll trust you, they’ll be all bout” explaining the ‘why’ through a story.
Explore more about talking to your people
Humans love stories. Storytelling is the most potent human communication method. Our most outstanding leaders, teachers, and communicators know this.
A great story tells us why the hero takes his dangerous journey. Likewise, effective learning also contains the why element. The why ties facts together into a coherent, memorable story.
Why does it bring meaning to an employee? Otherwise, why do it? So, when you talk to your team, build a coherent story that contains the why element to:
- Increases employee understanding
- Increases employee perception of importance
- Increases employee compliance
It is the story that is important for all employees.
Feel the visceral power of the story in the DANGER sign on the right.