“A need to tell and hear stories is essential to the species Homo sapiens – second in necessity apparently after nourishment and before love and shelter. Millions survive without love or home, almost none in silence…the sound of story is the dominant sound of our lives…” – A Palpable God, by Reynolds Price
Telling stories is so fundamental to the human experience, and that includes Corporate America. Storytelling is one of the most important elements of creating and communicating a brand’s identity no matter the medium (meeting 1:1 with a journalist, engaging via social media, and more).
A case in point is one of the finest corporate storytellers of the past few decades - Starbucks Chairman, President and CEO Howard Schultz. Schultz is a charismatic, masterful storyteller who can take you back to his moments of revelation in building Starbucks. BusinessWeek reported on how critical storytelling is to the growth of the company:
Chairman Howard Schultz of Starbucks
“Ask Schultz for the key to Starbucks and he’ll tell you it’s all about storytelling. Starbucks is centered on two oft-repeated tales: Schultz’ trip to Seattle in 1981, where he first enjoyed gourmet coffee, and a 1983 trip to Milan, where he discovered espresso bar culture. Not only are these journeys useful touchstones for recruits, they also provide the original marketing story for a company that prides itself on giving customers an authentic experience…
“And as you wait in line for your Dulce de Leche Latte, you might ask yourself: Are you paying $4.50 for a caffeine jolt and caramel topping? Or have you simply been dazzled by Howard Schultz’ storytelling magic?” – “Saving Starbucks’ Soul,” BusinessWeek, April 9, 2007
Charlie Rose was talking about his secrets to storytelling, while lecturing in the SF Bay Area this week. Rose does not pick guests based on their title for the Charlie Rose Show. He looks for someone (a CEO, an inventor, an artist, a policy maker, or an athlete) who can explain what they do and why it excites them. Rose’s tactics for bringing out great stories when interviewing guests include:
Charlie Rose
1) Rose never approaches an interview with a planned, linear set of questions. He prepares instead by envisioning the story arc he hopes the guest’s narrative will cover in the interview. He forms his questions in the moment, in response to what the interviewee just said. He asks his guests to be prepared to do the same – to get caught up in conversation and connecting different ideas in the moment.
2) Rose thinks the real magic is the moment of engagement in an interview. It’s the interviewee’s story of a personal life-altering experience, which could be an experience of discovery or victory or defeat or overcoming an obstacle to name a few. Rose sees it as the defining moment that draws the audience in because of its authenticity and builds trust, and it all starts with Rose asking a question like: “Take us back to that day when you…”
What does a moment of engagement look like in interviews with our clients? For the tech executives, entrepreneurs and engineers we counsel, remember to share what gets you excited about your business. Share the story of that “aha moment” that spurred you to get into the business in the first place, or when you knew your business was going to take off. What’s your answer to one or more of the following questions, designed to draw out great stories?
- Explain to me what your tech does and why it excites you.
- Tell me the moment you realized there was a need to invent this new tech because you had a vision of something that could be.
- Tell me the moment you saw on your customers faces that your tech would change their lives.
- Take me back to what it was like when you were first getting the business off the ground.
- You joined the business years after it was up and running. Take me back to the moment when you realized you just had to be a part of realizing this vision.
What’s your tip for telling a great story that conveys the magic of the brand?