The company used the website and narratives to not just announce a change in leadership, but a change in culture as well – a company that was becoming more transparent and accessible.
A learned skill Pickup has seen a greater level of awareness and interest in storytelling than ever before. “I think this is partly because, these days, business leaders are far more knowledgeable and informed about the marketing & communication process than ever before,” he says. “They are also observing all sorts of figureheads – celebrities, politicians, activists, charities, and brands – using storytelling to communicate their messages and doing so with impact.” However, there is a difference between great stories and great storytelling. Great stories are typically made up of four key elements – relevance to the audience with an emotional core in a simple and authentic way. Great storytelling is about “taking the audience on an emotional-laden journey.” And it must include incorporating context, introducing conflict or disruption, embarking on a transformational journey and then providing a resoluSatya Nadella tion. Just like any other skill, Pickup believes storytelling is something that can be learned. “It is certainly true that some societies have a strong history and culture of storytelling. But storytelling is also a recognized technique – one that can be learnt, repeated and scaled to your business,” he says. “There are some common elements that are core to a great story and can be applied to commercial scenarios. The global center of storytelling is Hollywood, and there are certainly lessons and techniques from that industry that can be successfully applied to other industries and businesses.” Recognizing and adapting the Hollywood process is one of Pickup’s secrets to telling a great story. One of the most commonly used process in moviemaking is called the hero’s journey – which starts off with an ordinary person with some flaws getting called to an
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adventure. The hero would initially refuse, until he or she meets a mentor who leads them on the adventure. Through the journey, the “hero” will gain new skills, meet allies and encounter enemies, and will then overcome the challenge of fear to defeat the enemy. At the end, the hero has transformed to a better person because of the adventure – a classic journey featured in some of Hollywood’s most popular films such as Star Wars, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. Finding a hero is an essential part to telling a great story because every story needs one, but it is important to remember that not all heroes necessarily have to represent the typical strong and silent type. Another secret to great storytelling is images. In the past, newspapers were all text but today the most popular websites such as Buzzfeed are visually-oriented. For the announcement of appointment of Nadella, Microsoft provided media outlets with images featuring a new CEO not only in a typical suit or business attire but also wearing a much more casual sweatshirt which plays to the idea that the company is becoming more modern and progressive. While something like attire might not seem to be a priority, details really matter in great storytelling. Details such as whether a speaker is speaking to an audience from atop a stage or on the same level are powerful as non-verbals signs evoke a different response from listeners. When it comes to storytelling for a company, it needs to get to the why – why do they exist. “For Microsoft, we sell Windows, Office, Xbox, etc. But that’s not why we exist. That does not inspire any employee to say, ‘I exist to licence Windows or Office,’” Pickup explains. “That’s just what we do and how we make money.” “It has to be a higher echelon, an aspiration, for everybody. Whether you’re a small company or the largest corporation in the world, there has to be something emotional that really gets to the heart of the impact you are trying to have,” he says. Lastly, when stories are conveyed in a personal way, it feels more authentic and makes it easier for an audience to relate. Storytelling will continue to have an impact in the future but on different plains, Pickup believes. “As I have said, storytelling is the oldest form of communication known to mankind, so I do not believe that the fundamentals of a great story will change dramatically,” he says. “What will change are the platforms upon which these stories will be told which will be advanced through technology becoming cheaper, more accessible and more broadly available to all.” “Longer-term, emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, holographic computing and artificial intelligence will create newer, exciting storytelling opportunities,” he adds.
biz.hk 5 • 2016