I’ve been fortunate to be in a lot of executive boardrooms. In person and virtually. The desire to get the innovation story right often has billion-dollar consequences – in share price, in employee churn, in R&D budgets and strategies and investments in the future of the business.
No pressure.
What I’ve observed from working on these stories at the highest levels and from my C-Level guests on The Innovation Storytellers Show are that leaders fail at pivot points in creating the story or in the delivery. I’m sharing these so you’ll ask yourself, before you share it broadly.
“Have I bulletproofed my story?”
Give your story this 4 Step Flop Test:
1. Who’s the Hero? In gathering the ideas, did I begin by determining how I would make the listener the hero? What matters to them?
2. Context before Content: My good friend Giselle Garcia Shelley at Cascade Leadership Partners taught me this phrase. It doesn’t matter how perfect the story is, if you haven’t considered the exact time/place/circumstances you’re in when you’re dropping the story.
3. Where’s the Resistance? We pretend to celebrate innovation, but I don’t recall anyone actively requesting disruption.
4. Am I Alone? Take a lesson from the prophets. Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed. Each had 12-24 “early adopters” who became ardent believers and vocal advocates of the message
Does your story pass the test? Yes, no, Not Sure?
I have the solution, The Innovation Storytellers Studio (IS Studio)
What is it?
A monthly gathering of change makers who are actively working on their stories. The Studio is a space for the group to bulletproof their stories – from ideation to completion.
Who is it for?
Leaders across industries, this mastermind allows for everyone to share their stories and gain valuable, unbiased feedback on how to form great stories and share them to influence others to get the outcomes and impact they seek.
How do you enroll?
