Zynia - Motivational metaphors for Training and Development

Zynia Business Storytelling packs used in ‘Tackling Racism’ workshops

A local authority ran some workshops on racism used Neighbours from Hell from the Diversity Pack to start a discussion on real life issues. This formed the second part of the session after a discussion on theory and legislation. The story woke everyone up and provoked much discussion – there are no right answers or easy answers in real life!

1. How is storytelling used in training?

Storytelling is used to enhance the subject under discussion. Telling stories either directly related to the topic or with references can engage the listener/learner and stimulate the emotions. Stories take the listener away from dry facts and give references to daily life, which may help them to see the light. Stories can also seem less threatening than the reality delegates are faced with e.g. if a team is faced with issues about working together working on a story about an imaginary team may help them to work through their “real” issues with falling out

2. How does it complement other forms of training?

The answer is very well. Training is an interactive intervention designed – or should be – to engage the learner in understanding new ideas and concepts. Stories engage the mind and can be related to on a personal basis, which will always have a great impact.

Using stories to illustrate a point can be less technological and quicker than using a DVD, better for trainer’s/managers facilitating short sharp sessions in the workplace. E.g. you could use a short story on dealing with awkward customers as part of the half hour staff training many retailers run one morning a week.

3. When did it emerge in the workplace?

Trainers have always used stories and anecdotes to liven up their sessions and get the message across. Ask most people who’ve been on a course what they remember and they will probably tell you about an exercise or an anecdote not a theory. I helped out on an interviewing course and was assaulted in a pub sometime later by a man who told me he remembered interviewing me on a course – he couldn’t remember anything else about it but he did recall the human interaction, the persona and story I told him.

Some years ago facilitators started to formalise this human need for interaction, possibly with work done with IBM who where looking for new ways to deliver training

4. How long have you been working in this area?

Zynia Ltd was formed by a group of committed, professional trainers approximately 6 years ago to develop usable stories for hard pressed trainers / managers who may not have the experience or confidence to create their own stories. We have now produced 6 different packs – Communications, Teams, Leadership, Change, Customers and Diversity. As well as selling the packs Zynia Ltd use the stories in their own training and also run course on how to use storytelling effectively in all the above topics.

5. What are the most popular topics for this type of training?

Diversity and communication seem to be the ones we are asked for most often. However, change and leadership are ready made for story telling. Change because humans are scared of the unknown and stories help people relate to different futures. Also, change is often emotional and we don’t deal with emotions well, so if a story describes those emotions then this can often help. On Leadership. Well we still haven’t got the leaders we really need. Using a well known children’s story –‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ We Still have too many Fat Controllers who manage well enough but, unfortunately, do not lead.
Think about Customers – every one has a story about how well / badly they were treated or on the other side about the ‘idiots’ they have to deal with, this is how we learn what works and what doesn’t

6. How does it typically work? i.e., describe a typical scenario.

I have been running a whole series of events training people in industry and the public sector whom to be mentors to undergraduates. I use a story from the Diversity pack called ‘Baz the barman’ about a disabled student and his problems in getting a job, delegates can always relate to Baz and his issues. It is 5 minutes long and has a couple of good jokes as well as a happy ending – this is especially interesting as delegates often discuss how likely the happy ending would be in real life and what advice they would have given Baz. A 6 minute story usually elicits a half hour discussion.

7. How effective is it?

Very – however situation and learning styles have to be taken into account.

If you select the right story for the audience and the topic. A good story can change the atmosphere.

One of my co-directors attended a course on how to tell stories, one delegate asked how he could use stories as he worked in IT, my colleague asked him if there were really windows and folders in a computer – we use stories/analogies all the time to help people to see the picture. A telling comment was made by some children on a radio programme many years ago “You can see the pictures better on the radio” – think about it, how many times have you read the book before going to the movie and come away disappointed because it didn’t look as you’d imagined it.

Zynia’s CDs can be used as part of a formal training event or learners can play the stories on their own and reflect on the messages before discussing them with their coach on a future occasion – especially useful fro stressed managers, sitting back and taking 5 minutes to listen to a story can help them focus on the change or team they are struggling with.

8. Is this form of training moving into new subject areas?

Stories have always been told by good trainers, however, the use of stories is being recognised more widely and perhaps this is starting to formalise their use in training, coaching, facilitating and staff development.
Stories can be used for all sorts of different subject areas, although Zynia’s pack have different titles all the stories are multifaceted and can be sued almost interchangeable and for many other subjects – as I mentioned I use a story from the Diversity pack in mentoring training. I also know some one who uses a story from the Communications pack in recruitment training

9. Can you ‘overdo’ storytelling?

Yes, Good training requires a mix of methods to get the message across – NLP. This should include role-play, activities, quizzes, discussion and plenary sessions and psychometrics.

You can’t just drop any old story in anywhere – it needs to be an integral part of the event and have useful/effective outcomes. It’s no use being a charismatic storey teller if you can’t follow up with useful discussion which brings the listener back to the issues in hand.

10. Do you see storytelling as an emerging trend in training?

It’s always been used unofficially – added anecdotes in sessions and so on but perhaps there is a growing trend to use storytelling openly – doing training sessions centred on stories and/or getting trainees to write their own story – is a better description.

11. Are there any situations where storytelling would not be appropriate?

Perhaps where process is being trained, such as IT skills, however, if the point is to learn new IT skills to support say a quality issue, then the stories would definitely support this. Standing back and allowing different scenarios to be played out in the form of stories will always allow people to interact and engage with the outcomes and help them learn more quickly

12. How is this form of intervention usually received by its ‘audience’?

Normally very well. People enjoy the opportunity to switch off from the daily grind and imagine another world – either better or worse than theirs. I like it best when the delegates close their eyes and use their imagination.

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