Squirrel Inc. : a fable of leadership through storytelling
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Squirrel Inc. : a fable of leadership through storytelling
Jossey-Bass, c2004
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Note
Bibliography: p. 155-176
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Take a satirical scamper through organizational life in the midst of changing times, brought to you by master storyteller and former World Bank executive Steve Denning. With wisdom and a healthy dose of wit, Denning introduces a cast of furry characters who together learn the fine art of change through storytelling in their quest to overcome obstacles, generate enthusiasm and teamwork, share knowledge, and ultimately lead their company into a new era of success and significance. Through the stories of Squirrel Inc., readers will learn that the ability to tell the right story at the right time can determine the outcome of any major change effort. In each chapter Denning's squirrels learn to use storytelling to address leadership challenges: How to bring about change How to communicate who you are How to transmit values How to foster collaboration How to stop rumors How to share knowledge * How to lead your organization into the future
Table of Contents
Preface xiii
The author explains the purpose of the book and the process by
which it came to be written.
Part One
1 Squirrel Inc.: How to Craft a Story to Spark Organizational
Change 3
Diana is an up-and-coming executive at Squirrel Inc., an
organization in decline. She seeks guidance from a bartender on how
to persuade the organization to change. She learns, in nine steps,
how to craft a story to communicate a complex idea and spark
action.
2 Diana Tells Her Story: How to Perform the Story to Spark
Change 25
After initial success with her story at Squirrel Inc., Diana
returns to seek further guidance from the bartender on how to
enhance the performance of her story.
Part Two
3 Save Squirrel Inc. Night: Seven Types of Organizational
Storytelling 41
After the success of her story with the managing committee of
Squirrel Inc., Diana joins employees to explore other ways in which
storytelling can help address the challenges the firm is
facing.
4 Whyse's Story: How to Use Storytelling to Reveal Who You
Are and Build Trust 49
Whyse shows how storytelling can enhance communication in
corporate environments by communicating who you are.
5 Hester's Story: How to Use Storytelling to Get Individuals
to Work Together 59
Hester shows how storytelling can be used to get individuals
working together. She presents five steps to craft a story for
nurturing a community.
6 Mark's Story: How to Use Storytelling to Transmit Values
69
Mark shows how stories that are told and retold in a
organization, particularly about the organization's leaders,
transmit the organization's values.
7 Mocha's Story: How to Use Storytelling to Tame the
Grapevine 79
Mocha shows how humor can be used to harness the power of the
informal network of communication in an organization and to tame
the grapevine by neutralizing rumors and bad news.
8 Howe's Story: How to Use Storytelling to Share Knowledge
89
Howe shows how the sharing of knowledge takes place through a
particular kind of narrative.
9 Sandra's Story: How to Use Storytelling to Create a Future
101
Sandra shows how future stories?visions, business models,
scenarios?help organizations move into the future. Meanwhile
Howe reveals some unexpected developments within Squirrel Inc.
10 Howe Upsets the Acorns: How Individuals and Organizations
React to Change 115
The discussion in the bar now turns to what will happen next at
Squirrel Inc. Will the old way of doing business triumph? Or will
Squirrel Inc. carry through with the change? The characters explore
these and other possibilities.
Part Three
11 The Journey of a Leader: Staying Alive Through the Dangers
of Leadership 127
As the continuing tale of Squirrel Inc. unfolds, the characters
encounter a variety of surprises and Diana goes on a journey.
12 The Return to Squirrel Inc.: Living the Story as Well as
Telling It 143
We learn the impact of storytelling on Squirrel Inc. and on
Diana herself.
Seven High-Value Forms of Organizational Storytelling 150
The nature, form, and purpose of seven high-value kinds of
organizational storytelling are compared, in a table.
Notes 155
Further reading 169
Write to the author 177
Acknowledgments 179
About the author 181
by "Nielsen BookData"
