Denning's Storytelling Catalogs

3.) Denning presents a storytelling catalog (p. 120-124). Consider your organization (or your communications challenge selected for your final projects) and explain which type(s) of story identified in Denning's catalog would be most useful in that setting.
Vision Statement from U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs:
To provide veterans the world-class benefits and services they have earned - and to do so by adhering to the highest standards of compassion, commitment, excellence, professionalism, integrity, accountability, and stewardship. Denning (2004) presents a storytelling catalog that can be utilized to explain how VA provide stories identified in Denning’s catalog. In the Module 3 assignment, I had to provide an example of a healthcare
organization's mission statement and explain how that statement should shape/impact the organization's communications efforts. In Module 11, I must examine storytelling as strategic communication. Let’s examine this utilizing the vison statement above through the list of the values which are the following: compassion, commitment, excellence, professionalism, integrity, accountability, and stewardship. The vision statement reflects the values that VA wants to convey to the veterans, their families, and the community. Denning (2004) would call this objective ‘transmitting values’ through what VA calls I Care stories. These stories are used to express emotions that share activities that the identified audience would promote discussions about the examples of values between staff and Veterans served. This story type ensures that the audience understands “how things are done around here (Denning, 2004, p. 121.”) Additionally, the employees who display actions that reflect these values are provided certificates. For example, if there are stories that identify specific actions by staff that showed compassion, the staff person would be awarded a certificate award for compassion. This collection of these stories is shared with other staff members. Staff also can nominate other staff members who display these values. The stories are shared through social media to lift morale and to counteract negative publicity about some unflattering news about some VA facilities. Also, leadership utilize these stories to do what Denning (2004) calls the objective of ‘sparking action’ for the goal to encourage people to change.
The message from leadership interprets its reaffirmation of the VA mission and values. Solicitation of these stories are requested of colleagues or staff to tell how their actions have made a meaningful difference in the lives of a Veteran. There is also an I Care Honor Award to recognize staff who go above and beyond the expression of these values. Feedback is also requested by staff for any comments and questions. Tools and resources are provided to promote the expectation of these I Care values by downloading and displaying flyers, videos, posters and I Care guidance for managers and supervisors. The latter can be utilized for the objective of “fostering collaboration” to create a sense of community through management to get people to work together. Lastly, the purpose of I Care that is to bring forth the values in action through storytelling. The objective would be ‘leading people into the future.’ The fact that the I Care values are in the vision statement implies that change comes when the values permeate the organization at every level and this gives the employees a way to be involved in that
vision. Reference
Denning, S. (2004). Telling tales In HBR’s 10 Must Reads: On Communication, 120-124, Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press. Reviewed from https://hbr.org/2004/05/telling-tales.