Managerial Storytelling

Welcome to the project site of Managerial Storytelling in Practice: Dynamics and Implications, a platform for the latest research findings on the use of storytelling in managerial practice. This three-year research is being funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) under the First Grants Scheme (RES-061-25-0144) and is expected to conclude in August 2012.

The use of storytelling as a management tool is currently being advocated as the missing trick in management and leadership. However, the dynamics of managerial storytelling are largely unknown. While this may matter little to those who use storytelling successfully in their daily work, it is vital to understand in more detail how and why stories are an effective means of communication, knowledge-sharing, change and learning in organisations. This research aims to reveal the dynamics of managerial storytelling with a focus on:

1. the types of stories that are used effectively in different managerial contexts and situations;
2. the factors that support and inhibit the effective use of storytelling in managerial practice;
3. the limits of managerial storytelling.

In short, it is expected to lead to a better understanding of storytelling as a management tool, to evaluate claims about its effectiveness, and to improve storytelling practice in managerial work. The latest research findings will be published on this website as they become available.

Dr. Stefanie Reissner, the Principal Investigator of this research, developed an interest in narrative and storytelling in the context of organisational change and learning during her doctoral studies at the University of Durham (2001-2004). The focus of her research is on the use of narrative and storytelling in managerial practice and the development of employees. Her work has been presented at national and international conferences, including EGOS, BAM, EURAM, and the ESRC-funded seminar series on Organisational Storytelling. For details about publication of Stefanie’s previous work, please refer to Selected Publications.

Stefanie joined Newcastle University Business School in September 2010 following lecturing positions at Sunderland Business School (2006-2010) and Bristol Business School (2004-2006). She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the British Academy of Management (BAM) and has recently been appointed to the ESRC Peer Review College.

• Reissner, S C (forthcoming). “Patterns of Stories of Organisational Change”. Journal of Organizational Change Management.
• Reissner, S C and Du Toit, A (forthcoming). “Power and the Tale: Coaching as Storyselling”. Journal of Management Development, Special Issue The Use and Abuse of Storytelling in Organisations.
• Watson, G and Reissner, S C (eds) (2010). Developing Skills for Business Leadership. London: CIPD.
• Reissner, S C (2010) “Change, Meaning and Identity at the Workplace”. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 23 (3) : 287-299.
• Reissner, S C (2008). Narratives of Organisational Change and Learning: Making Sense in Testing Times. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
• Reissner, S C (2008). “Narrative and Story: New Perspectives on Coaching”. The International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching, 6(3) :1-5.
• Reissner, S. C. (2008). Narratives of Organisational Change and Learning: Making Sense of Testing Times. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar (forthcoming).
• Reissner, S. C. (2005). “Learning & Innovation: A Narrative Analysis”. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 18 (5): 482-494.
• Reissner, S. C. (2004). “Learning by Storytelling: Narratives in the Study of Work-Based Learning”. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 10 (2): 99-113.

If you wish to be kept informed about this project or would like to participate in the research, please contact the Principal Investigator Dr. Stefanie Reissner on stefanie@managerial-storytelling.com.