Stories at Work: Using Stories to Improve Communication and Build Relationships

Terrence Gargiulo boldly states: If a picture is worth a thousand words, a story is worth a thousand pictures. One of the most ancient forms of communication, storytelling is now being recognized as a powerful tool in business and other facets of life. Gargiulo argues that stories are fundamental to the way we communicate, learn, and think; they are the most efficient way to store, retrieve, and convey information. In Stories at Work, he demystifies how and why stories are so effective, and demonstrates how stories can be applied in organizations and our personal lives to influence behavior, persuade, entertain, solve problems, effect change, generate creativity, and promote shared understanding. In the process, he shows readers how to: discover their wealth of personal experiences; transform their experiences into re-usable stories; and leverage their stories in a variety of settings to enhance their communication skills and develop dynamic relationships. Gargiulo defines several key functions of stories, including empowering the speaker, negotiating our differences, and promoting healing, illustrated through dozens of colorful examples. Step-by-step exercises and instructions provide readers with the tools to: discover their wealth of personal experiences; transform their experiences into re-usable stories; develop an indexing scheme for retrieving stories; and leverage stories in a variety of settings. Ultimately, Stories at Work offers readers the opportunity to develop a repertoire of stories to enhance their communication skills and develop dynamic, productive, and effective relationships.