Mobilizing attention: storytelling for innovation

stories allow for ambiguity and representation of the unknown. Storytelling is an articulation process that acknowledges the potentially conflicting interests of different stakeholders and their differing points of view. Because stories are natural communication vehicles, teams can escape established roles and procedures through storytelling, thus finding new approaches and products. The Grameen Foundation, a nonprofit working in low-technology, economically poor regions around the world, has broadened its initial goal of microfinancing and added a new story to its mission—using available technology to improve information access, and thus economic access. This story has been very powerful, leading to the Foundation’s AppLab, which develops and deploys low-tech solutions to information problems. For instance, farmers can text a central source to find out the summer weather forecast, or text another for personalized health advice. Migrant workers can send money home to their families with the click of a button. By focusing on the now, the possible Recently, BMW launched a U.S. campaign for Minis, aimed at vampires. The slogan “Feel the wind in your fangs” ran alongside a photo of the car. Gillette and Harley-Davidson had similar vampire-themed ads, and if a consumer follows up on the ads, eventually a trail of URLs leads to the website for HBO’s “True Blood,” a television show based on the premise that vampires exist and have come out of hiding. The American League of Vampires, arguing for vampire rights, faces off against another group, the Fellowship of the Sun, which wants to take back the Earth for humans. Other related sites include an online-dating service for humans and self-identified vampires. This elaborate marketing campaign enhances and develops the storyline from the TV show. Reactions have been mixed, but the campaign itself has gotten significant attention for acting as if the storyline were entirely true. By extending the television story into Web space, the show attracted new audiences and expanded potential participation by viewers. Humans seem hardwired to process information in the form of stories. Throughout human history, whether by oral tradition, writing, or dance, humans have shared information, coexperienced different lives, and cemented relationships through stories. Stories are sticky, they persist, and they can be magnetic, attracting people and interest. How can stories and storytelling be used to inspire creative ideas, encourage constructive partnerships, and increase the pace of innovation? We propose that stories focus people’s attention on particular topics, aligning their interest and acting as the invisible driving force behind innovation. Innovation is the collective process of creating new ideas with business value [1]. It is the holy grail for many industries, as consistent innovation leads to increasing product and revenue streams. Yet innovation is a messy process that is difficult to teach, measure, and quantify. The processes are murky, and predicting who will innovate and when is still a dream. Increasing the odds of innovation, however, is much more possible. During storytelling, knowledge is co-constructed. Unlike [1] Hargadon, A.B., Bechky, B.A. “When Collections of Creatives Become Creative Collectives: A Field Study of Problem Solving at Work.” Organization Science 17, 4 (2006): 484–500.