Storytelling that Proves Leadership Development ROI

(Synopsis of ASTD International Conference and Exposition presentation)

Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted.
Albert Einstein

Learning and development professionals who design and implement leadership programs within
organizations know that quantitative data does not reflect the full value of their programs. We can
collect evaluations, cost data, participation rates, even data from assessments; however, this information
does not capture the intangible impact and worth of the behavioral changes that trained leaders put
into action back in the workplace.
Herein lies the dilemma. How do you measure that which is not measurable? How does one measure
air, love or patriotism? Our unique challenge is to quantify such intangible returns as a leaders
improved reputation, increased ability to collaborate, or improved effectiveness leading and inspiring
teams. What makes this dilemma even more vexing is that our executives are used to evaluating the
health of their organizations using quantitative data. It is only natural that they ask us to evaluate
leadership programs using a measurement that is familiar to them. The most common request is for
return on investment (ROI).
So we scramble to try to satisfy our executives need for data. Some of us have successfully adopted ROI
methodologies. These are powerful if you can find a reasonable link between your program and a
measurable outcome. However, to estimate ROI, you must also be able to easily access the necessary
data, which is challenging for many of us. And under the best circumstances, a lot of value still goes
unmeasured. Even if we are successful in applying ROI methodologies, they still involve a degree of
subjectivity that cannot capture the intangibles. Jack Phillips of the ROI Institute revealed, The
intangibles may be our most important data set. I believe the answer to showcasing them is to get the
best data you possibly can, ROI or otherwise, and wrap it with powerful and compelling stories. ROI
answers two questions for the executive. What benefit am I getting from my investment in this
leadership program? And, is that benefit significant enough to keep investing? We can clearly and
confidently communicate the answers to those questions with powerful narratives. Over the last decade
stories have become an essential communication tool for conveying important information.
A research partnership in 2003 between Kaiser Permanente, the healthcare provider, and Neal Bauer, a
Hollywood producer, showed storytelling increases complex information retention. Six weeks after an
episode of the medical drama ER, viewers remembered the link between the human papilloma virus
and cervical cancer. What is astounding is this connection was mentioned one time in thousands of lines
of rapid-fire dialog, proving that stories aid retention by serving as mental connective tissue in the
human brain.

Learnologie, LLC 2011

www.learnologie.com

Storytelling that Proves Leadership Development ROI

(Synopsis of ASTD International Conference and Exposition presentation)

Stories are not only powerful mental glue; they capture the intangibles, are remembered, and are
powerful and easy to tell anywhere, anytime. Stories are becoming an important vehicle for knowledge
transfer, product promotion, sales leverage, culture changes and legal compliance. Peter Guber, the
former CEO of Sony Pictures and the current Chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment, works
to convince the reader in his book, Tell to Win, that storytelling is the ultimate success tool in business.
Evidence of storytellings importance is further demonstrated in this quote from Jack Keene of CIO
magazine, who states, Good business cases are calculated based on numbers, but they are approved
based on stories.
Compelling stories are heard, are more entertaining, can inspire dramatic action and are remembered
long after the quantifiable data has been tossed into the shredder. The time has come for Learning and
Development professionals to use this powerful tool by mastering the art and science of effective story
delivery. Whenever a company has to make tough financial decisions where to cut funding, the learning
function and our programs are typically on the table. It is by embedding compelling value stories in the
hearts and minds of our executives that we gain job security and ongoing support for our leadership
programs. We just have to be mindful that we get the right evidence, write an effective story and tell it.
ROI stories are different from the stories we wrote in Creative Writing 101, primarily in that they must
show a clear link to business goals and objectives. ROI stories are the perfect repository for anecdotal
(self-report) and empirical (observation) evidence that demonstrates the value of our leadership
programs. This kind of evidence, though often overlooked in the business environment, has been the
foundation of academic research and legal proceedings for years. It is time for it to take its rightful place
in our boardrooms.
Evidence of the value of our programs doesnt just fall from the sky. It is important that we design our
leadership programs to produce good evidence. As the steward of these programs, we also have to
ensure this evidence is captured and reported. It is critical to set the expectation up front with program
participants that the organization expects a return on investment in the form of changes back in the
workplace, and that evidence of those changes will be required.
An example of designing for evidence is post-program action plans. Ask participants to identify three
things they plan to implement back at work, and then ask them to report to you the business results of
implementing those things. Another example is to have participants make commitments, then create
peer accountability relationships within your leadership programs. Have peers report to you the
business results that have occurred. Focus groups and individual interviews are additional venues for
gathering evidence from program participants. It will take discipline and persistence on the part of the
program manager; however, the results will be the substance of your ROI story.
Once you have gathered evidence and any supporting quantitative data, you can create your narrative.
To make it interesting, you want to open and close with impact. You may want to close with a call to

Learnologie, LLC 2011

www.learnologie.com

Storytelling that Proves Leadership Development ROI

(Synopsis of ASTD International Conference and Exposition presentation)

action for your executives to support your program. Throughout your narrative, you will use vivid,
picture-painting language, outline a clear problem, show how your program solves it, and then weave in
your evidence. But most importantly, you want to show your program helps the organization become
more successful. Once you have your story on paper, it is important to practice your delivery until you
are completely comfortable telling it.
Then share your story everywhere and to everyone. ROI stories can be verbal or in writing, included in
all-managers meetings and operations reports as case studies. The more people who understand the
value of your work, the better. You will also want to devise different versions of your story in different
lengths. If you happen to be on the elevator with your CEO and she asks, So how are you? Instead of
the typical response, Fine, you can say, Im excited. Ive been working with a talented new leader in
our coaching program. He is really embracing and promoting our leadership philosophy of
entrepreneurship in the visioning and strategy work he is doing with his team. Congratulations! You
have just delivered an ROI story.
The time has come for Learning and Development professionals to stop playing small and to begin
talking about the big contributions we are making that add value to the organization by turning out
highly-trained, competent leaders. Just because many of those results are intangible, does not mean they
should be minimized or go unspoken. It is time to educate our executives about the inadequacy of
measuring our work the same way they measure the output of a production line. Learn to be a great
storyteller, combine it with the best evidence you can collect, deliver it with competence and
confidence, and your leadership programs are bound to live happily ever after!

Learnologie, LLC 2011

www.learnologie.com