Everyone loves a good story. We don’t just hear them – we feel them. Stories stick with us long after facts and instructions have faded. And over time, they play a quiet yet powerful role in shaping who we are. That’s true for us as individuals, and it’s just as true when we come together as teams, communities, and organisations.
In organisational life, storytelling isn’t merely a pleasant way to communicate. It’s one of the most effective levers we have for behaviour change. Stories help people make sense of new ideas, see themselves in new roles, and remember what matters long after a workshop or training session has ended. When used well, storytelling turns learning from an event into something that lives on in daily habits, decisions, and conversations.
Stories are the culture
Culture is often described as “the way we do things around here.” But how do we truly know what the culture of a workplace is? The answer lies in the stories people tell. Stories encapsulate the shared experiences, values, and norms of an organisation. If you ask someone about their workplace culture, they will respond with anecdotes that highlight how people behave and the attitudes that drive their actions. To them, the stories ARE the culture.
For instance, if an organisation values customer service, someone might say, “People go the extra mile for customers. Remember when Sally stayed late to help a client in crisis?” These stories reinforce the culture, shaping expectations and behaviours across the organisation.
However, culture doesn’t always align with an organisation’s strategic goals. A common frustration among leaders is that “Our culture gets in the way of us doing what we need to do to be successful.” When the prevailing culture hinders progress, change is necessary. But how do we change culture?
Changing the way people do things
To shift organisational culture, we must change what people do and, in turn, the stories they tell about those actions. But how can we change behaviour in a meaningful and lasting way?
Option one: Forcing compliance
One approach is to tell people what to do and enforce compliance through policies, rules, and monitoring. While this can lead to immediate change in behaviour, it often fosters a culture of resistance, disengagement, and frustration. The stories that emerge from this approach are unlikely to be positive.
Consider a scenario where a new customer service script is mandated without input from employees. The resulting stories might be: “They don’t trust us to handle customers our way” or “We’re just following a script now, not actually helping people.” This type of culture does not inspire commitment or enthusiasm.
Option two: Requesting change
A softer approach is to ask people to change and hope they comply. While this might work in some cases, it typically fails when there is no personal motivation to do things differently. Without a compelling reason to change, the status quo usually wins.
People need to see the benefit of change – not just for the organisation, but for themselves. If there’s no clear “what’s in it for me?” factor, most will stick to familiar ways of working. Then the stories are about ignoring requests for change where it does not suit the employees to engage.
Option three: Leading into the future
The most effective way to change culture is to lead people into the future. This means promoting a vision of how things could and should be for success – both for the organisation and for its people.
When leaders paint a compelling picture of the future and involve employees in shaping it, they create ownership and engagement. People begin to tell new stories about the organisation: “We’re really working towards something exciting” or “I feel like my contributions actually matter” or “I thought it was a load of rubbish when I first heard it, but the whole idea is growing on me. I like this”.
Providing what people need to change
No matter the approach or combination you choose, people need support to make the change. They require more than just instructions; they need tools, encouragement, and opportunities to practice new ways of working. Here’s what that looks like in action:
- Knowledge – People need to understand what the change is, why it’s happening, and what’s expected of them.
- Learning – Training, coaching, and mentoring can help employees develop the skills and confidence required for the new way of working.
- Opportunities to practise – Embedding change requires repetition. If people don’t have regular chances to do things differently, old habits will persist.
- A chance to experiment – A safe space to try new approaches without fear of punishment encourages innovation and adaptation.
- Reflection time – People require opportunities to consider how the changes are working and what they might do differently through reflective practices.
- Collaboration and sharing – Discussing new practices with colleagues fosters a sense of collective learning and mutual support.
- Embedding as a habit – Repetition and reinforcement are key to making new behaviours stick.
- Storytelling opportunities – Encouraging employees to share their experiences with the new ways of working reinforces cultural change.
Equipping people for the journey
Culture change is a journey, and people need a roadmap to get from where they are to where they need to be. A structured plan of action with clear, step-by-step guidance ensures that change doesn’t feel overwhelming. Leaders must provide:
- A clear vision of the desired culture and how that leads to the desired future
- Milestones to track progress
- Support mechanisms to help employees along the way
- Recognition of progress and success
And, importantly, they must tell and encourage stories about this journey. Stories bring culture to life and help people see their role in shaping it.
The role of stories in culture change
Stories are a powerful force in culture change. They communicate values, reinforce norms, and shape behaviour. When people hear about others successfully adopting new ways of working, they become more likely to follow suit.
To embed cultural change, organisations must actively encourage storytelling. This could be through:
- Internal newsletters featuring employee success stories
- Team meetings where people share their experiences with change
- Recognition programmes that highlight positive behaviours
- Digital platforms where employees can share and discuss their journey
People need permission to tell their stories, and storytelling platforms can ensure their voices are heard beyond casual coffee-break conversations. These stories don’t just document change; they drive it.
Over to you…
Changing organisational culture isn’t about issuing mandates or hoping for the best. It’s about intentionally shaping what people do and the stories they tell about their work. By providing knowledge, learning opportunities, practice, and support, organisations can guide their people towards a new cultural reality that aligns with strategic goals and fosters engagement, innovation, and success.
This article was inspired by a conversation with Cheryl Clemons, CEO of StoryTagger, earlier this year, when we explored the connection between behaviour change and storytelling. Stories are a critical part of a successful behaviour change initiative. Don’t leave them to chance.
If this has given you food for thought, spend a few minutes to reflect… What stories are being told in your organisation now? And what new stories do you want to emerge?
