Management Tip of the Day: Change Your Company's Story

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile OCTOBER 23, 2012 Change Your Company's Story How many times have you heard someone say, "That's the way we've always done it"? Narratives like these suggest inevitability, and can inhibit change rather than inspire it. They can be deeply ingrained and difficult to challenge. But people remember stories more easily than numbers, and if told in the right way and with the right message, they can motivate action. If you want to transform your organization, start by challenging the stories you tell about the company and how it operates. Do some reinforce the negative? Create and share new, positive narratives that show the path to success and the elements that will get you there. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "If You Don't Like Your Future, Rewrite Your Past" by Rosabeth Moss Kanter. Read the full post and join the discussion » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Producing Prosperity: Why America Needs a Manufacturing Renaissance HBR Press Book For executives, policymakers, academics, and innovators alike, Producing Prosperity provides the clearest and most compelling account yet of how the American economy lost its competitive edge — and how to get it back. Pisano and Shih provide business leaders with a framework for understanding the links between manufacturing and innovation that will enable them to make better outsourcing decisions. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS How to Practice for Your Presentation Three Ways to Stop Procrastination Position Your Start-Up for the Long Term Start Your New Job the Right Way Make Progress on That Long-Term Project Stop Sabotaging Yourself Money Isn't the Only Motivator for Top Talent Presentation Coming? Know These Things About Your Audience Break the Cycle of Responsiveness Imprecision Can Aid Decision-Making All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's 10 Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing Mobile ManageMentor Powered by the proven content of Harvard ManageMentor™ iTunes >> Android >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2012 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)