Improve your storytelling skills

People are wired for good stories. If you can weave a compelling story into your presentation or meeting, your message will be more memorable. Hone your storytelling skills:

Parachute in. Avoid ‘Let me tell you a story about a time I learned ...’ Drop your audience immediately into the action and draw the lesson out later.

Follow the ‘Goldilocks’ rule for details. Give too much detail and your audience is lost or bored; too little, and they lack enough context. Test your story with friends to find the right level of detail.

Focus on one person with one thought. Focus on one person at a time, for four to seven seconds, and try to connect with as many people as possible.

Use silence for impact. Silence draws emphasis to what was just said or what is about to come, and it allows others to contribute their own interpretations.

(Adapted from A Refresher on Storytelling 101, by J.D. Schramm)

Encourage your team to take more risks

Innovation requires a tolerance for risk-taking and learning from failure. Yet many companies still have risk-averse cultures. Break out of this and create an environment that is more conducive to innovation by being more explicit about what risk-taking really means:

Define smart risk. Distinguish the areas where risk is encouraged, and where it is not. For example, you want minimal ‘execution risk’ regarding customer commitments, but more ‘discovery risk’ in developing new solutions to customer problems.

Use the right words. Terms like ‘experiment’ or ‘scouting mission,’ as opposed to ‘successful vs. unsuccessful project,’ signal a more open attitude toward risk.

Establish clear phases for funding projects. Stop providing blank checks. Fund each project in clearly defined phases. If it passes one phase, give it additional funding.

(Adapted from The Reason Your Team Won’t Take Risks, by Ron Ashkenas and Lisa Bodell)

Ask newcomers to tackle tough problems

It’s easy to think of newcomers as burdens: They need to be trained and brought up to speed. But rookies are far more capable than most people expect. Instead of putting them through basic training, ask them to make a difference right away. Have them generate fresh ideas, experiment and get rapid feedback from your customers. They can also:

Tap networks of experts. Newcomers have no qualms about seeking guidance from others. They seek out expertise 40pc more than their experienced peers, and, when they do, they connect with five times as many people.

Forge new territory. Assign a rookie to tackle a tough challenge or new opportunity. Newbies are more willing to explore new frontiers, and they’re more likely to improvise and be resourceful.

(Adapted from Why Your Team Needs Rookies, by Liz Wiseman)

Rebuild a sour, work relationship

If you haven’t been getting along with someone at work, there are ways you can repair the relationship. First, ask yourself what’s happening so you know what needs work. Are you having trouble communicating? Are you failing to see eye to eye on things? Give up being right, and resist your tendency to analyse every detail of what’s happened in your relationship. That’s not productive. Instead, look forward and reflect on what you want from the relationship. Try to see the other person’s perspective. When you’re ready to approach him, do it on neutral ground. Go out for lunch or coffee, rather than asking to meet at one of your desks. Don’t debate what went wrong or who is at fault. Focus on the bigger picture or a common goal you share. But don’t expect the relationship to change overnight; it takes time to re-establish trust and reciprocity.

(Adapted from Fixing a Work Relationship Gone Sour, by Amy Gallo)

Control your temper

When you’re swamped with work and facing a slew of deadlines, it’s easy to lose your temper. Managing your time better, learning to say ‘no’ and resisting the temptation to multitask are all good long-term solutions. But how can you stop the fuse from lighting? Every hour, take one minute to ask yourself if you’ve been the kind of person you want to be. Have you been a good boss or colleague? Then recommit to who you will be in the next hour. Sometimes it only takes a small interruption for you to regain control. Why not take the time to prevent yourself from losing your cool before it happens?

(Adapted from A Ritual to Help You Keep Your Focus and Your Temper, by Peter Bregman)

Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, December 15th , 2014