Telling personal stories is the most powerful way to spark innovation in a company within a short time period like 5 minutes. The document introduces Wisdom Circles, which are highly engaging sessions where employees share personal stories from their work experiences that contain meaningful insights and lessons that can inspire others. Sharing these types of stories through Wisdom Circles is a better approach than other common methods like presenting data, best practices, or case studies, as stories transmit knowledge and wisdom in a memorable way.

1. WISDOM AT WORK
The Power of Personal
Storytelling
to Spark Insight,
Breakthrough, and
Lifelong Innovation
Mitchell Lewis Ditkoff

2. IMAGINEyou only had 5 minutes to spark innovation in your company
What would you do?

3. That’s
not a lot
of time

4. Play Mozart in the hallways?
Cite the latest data?
Share best practices?
Launch an incentive program?
Present a case study?
Collect ideas from your workforce?

5. NOPE!

6. Better to tell a really memorable

7. Storytelling is the
most powerful way
to deliver a
memorable message
and the most
effective way to
transmit meaning,
knowledge and
collective wisdom.

8. as long as the story sparks
insight, breakthrough
and wisdom – and the
storyteller knows how to
tell a really good story.

9. “There have
been great
societies that
did not use the
wheel, but
there have
been no
societies that
did not tell
stories.”
– Ursula K. Le Guin

10. That’s what
WISDOM CIRCLES
are all about

11. are a highly engaging way to tap into
the tacit knowledge of your workforce,
via the telling of personal stories –
memorable moments of truth
that have happened on-the-job
and have, embedded within them,
great meaning, insight, and learning
with the power to ignite brilliance in others.
WISDOM CIRCLES

12. TIME TO TELL
A NEW STORY
“Over the years I have
become convinced that we
learn best – and change –
from hearing stories that
strike a chord within us.
Those in leadership positions
who fail to grasp or use the
power of stories risk failure
for themselves and their
companies.” – John Kotter
IDEA CHAMPIONS
845.679.1066
mitch@ideachampions.com