Steve Denning best keynote speaker on leadership innovation business narrative storytelling

Storytelling for communications: 
    Bridging the knowing-doing gap

   How can a tiny narrative communicate a complex idea?
   The thing is impossible if we adopt the conventional or media view of communications which views communications as the sending of a message from a communicator to a recipient.
   In fact, it occurs by exploiting the interactive nature of communication. Whereas abstract communication minimizes speaker-listener interaction in deference to the "message" being sent, narrative communication maximizes the interaction between speaker and listern by encouraging the listener to imagine the story and to live it vicariously as a participant.
   Because the listener imaginatively recreates the story in his or her own mind, the story is not something foreign, not something perceived as coming from outside, but rather something that is perceived as part of the listener's own identity. There is no knowing-doing gap, because the idea is the listener's own.

 

References:
     Stephen Denning, The Secret Language of Leadership: How Leaders Inspire Action Through Narrative (Jossey-Bass, October 2007)
     See Stephen Denning, The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations. Boston, London, Butterworth Heinemann, October 2000, chapters 4-7, 11-12.
     Jeffrey Pfeffer, and Robert I. Sutton, The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action, by Boston, Harvard Business School Press, 2000.

“Steve Denning is the Warren Buffett of business communication. He sees things others don't and is able to explain them so the rest of us can understand.” Chip Heath, co-author of Made to Stick. “This book offers a genuinely refreshing perspective and an uncommon insight into the narrative life of leadership. I highly recommend you get it today and read it tonight. Tomorrow will be an entirely different kind of day if you do.” Jim Kouzes. Co-author of The Leadership Challenge

The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art & Discipline of Business Narrative
A book by Steve Denning (Jossey-Bass, 2005)

Squirrel Inc: A Fable of Leadership Through Storytelling, 
A book by Steve Denning (Jossey-Bass, June 2004)

Storytelling in Organizations
a book by Steve Denning with John Seely Brown,
Larry Prusak & Katalina Groh (Elsevier, June 2004)

The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations 
a book by Steve Denning (Butterworth Heinemann, 2000)

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Steve Denning consults and gives workshops and keynote presentations on topics that include: leadership, innovation, organizational storytelling, business storytelling, springboard storytelling, knowledge management, branding, marketing, values, communication, communities of practice, business performance, collective intelligence, tacit knowledge, business collaboration, knowledge, learning, community, performance improvement, visionary leadership, social potential, institutional community building, and internal communications. You can contact Steve at steve@stevedenning.com

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