The idea for this piece was rattling around in the back of my brain when I came across an interesting blog post on the Association for Talent Development’s site: “Why I Hate Mission Statements—But Love Missions.” The writer, Brad Federman, lays out many legitimate complaints about typical declarations: They have been wordsmithed into frothy blather, are too long to be remembered, and have little use beyond adorning the lobby wall. But Federman also argues, correctly, that a compelling mission has the power to shape a workplace and inform strategic and operational decisions. So what accounts for the disconnect? More importantly, how can it be bridged?
Via The Learning Factor
Storytelling helps individuals from the shop floor to the boardroom distill the company’s focus.
This article is most relevant today, in so far as the fact that a Mission Statement is more drab than a Mission Narrative. The article celebrates the advent of the story-telling culture which is so important for us today, in times mechanisation is making inroads into the basic social and emotional fabric of the society. It goes without saying that a narrative makes a prsentation more effective, the viewers are more likely to connect to a presentation that has a narrative, rather than a presentation of dry facts. This is true for the education industry too! In religious discourses, an essential part is the part where the redeemed or the enlightened person gives witness to a life changing moment!