Presented September 7 from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET Presented by Paul Critchley, President & Lean Consultant at New England Lean Consulting View recording (after Sept 7) here: https://www.kainexus.com/continuous-improvement/the-importance-of-storytelling-in-continuous-improvement/webinar/thanks Telling stories is one of the most powerful methods that leaders have to influence, teach, and inspire people. Beyond numbers, goals, and KPIs, stories help to convey the culture and the values that can unite and inspire everyone within the workplace. In this webinar, we’ll learn more about how storytelling can help garner support for Lean and Continuous Improvement by making it more tangible and more relatable for those faced with practicing it. Paul Critchley is the President and Lead Consultant here at New England Lean Consulting. With over 20 years of experience in organizational leadership, Paul is an internationally-recognized thought leader on using employee engagement and continuous improvement to improve business’ top and bottom lines. Paul is a former Board Member of the Northeast Region of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, and a proud supporter of several civic organizations in and throughout New England. He is passionate about Lean and creating organizational cultures that are sustainably engaged. He co-authored his first book – The Whole Professional – to bring a fresh perspective on Work/Life Balance and how individuals and organizations can work together to achieve greater levels of attainment for all. Paul holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University, a M.S. in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University. He also is the holder of U.S. Patent 5,927,868

1. The Importance
of Storytelling
in
Continuous
Improvement
Hosted by
Host: Mark Graban
Senior Advisor, KaiNexus
Mark@KaiNexus.com
Presenter: Paul Critchley
New England Lean Consulting
paul@newenglandlean.com

2. About Paul Critchley
• He’ll introduce himself (it’s his story)
• A member of the “Lean Communicators”
networking group with me
• Collaborated on a “Measures of Success”
workshop in Massachusetts
• Been a guest on my “Lean Whiskey” podcast

3. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
The Importance of Storytelling in
Continuous Improvement
September 7, 2022

4. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
Paul W. Critchley
• President of New England Lean Consulting (est. 2012)
• B.S. Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University
• M.S. Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University
• Former Board Member of the Northeast Region of the Association
for Manufacturing Excellence (www.AME.org)
• Co-Author of The Whole Professional
• Fun Fact: Has appeared on “Shark Tank”

5. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
A little levity…

6. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
The Power of Storytelling
We are 22 times more likely to remember a fact
when it has been wrapped into a story!
• Stories are memorable
• Stories trigger our emotions
• Mix hard numbers/facts/stats into your story
• Follow Freytag’s Pyramid of Storytelling:
1. Set the scene (Current State)
2. Introduce tension (What’s the problem?)
3. Climax
4. Falling Action
5. Resolution (Future State)
Bruner, Jerome Seymour (1996). The Culture of Education. ISBN 978-0-674-17953-0

7. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
“Our employees
are #1;
customers are a
wicked close 2nd”
-Kevin Hancock,
CEO, Hancock
Lumber
Lean improves Quality, increases Productivity,
reduces Cycle Time and lowers Employee
Frustration
7 Steps to Garner Support
• You have to show you genuinely care!
– Only 4/10 U.S. employees “strongly agree” that their
supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about
them as a person
– If that ratio was 8/10, organizations could realize:
• 8% improvement in engaged customers
• 32% reduction in safety incidents and
• 41% reduction in absenteeism
– Build a relationship based upon trust

8. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
The Power of Storytelling
• Narrative psychology – better chance for retention
• Data doesn’t (necessarily) drive behavior
– Ignaz Philip Semmelweis
• 1823: about 1% women died in childbirth from
“puerperal (childbed) fever”
Sarbin, Theodore R. (1986). Narrative Psychology: The storied nature of human conduct. Praeger. ISBN 9780275921033
Etiology, Concept and Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever (1861)
• 1865: Semmelweis suffers a nervous breakdown, gets committed to an asylum by his
colleagues. Is beaten by asylum guards. Died 14 days later from a gangrenous wound on
his right hand
• 1823+: the mortality rate suddenly jumped to 10-30%
• 1847: Semmelweis mandates hand-washing, and fatality
rates drop almost to 0
• 1849: Essentially gets fired and banned from Obstetrics.
Leaves Vienna be cause he’s "unable to endure further frustrations
in dealing with the Viennese medical establishment"

9. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
1. Be Genuine and Authentic
– Use true stories – not ones that are
made up
– Be vulnerable
• Tell stories that have good endings as
well as bad
• This helps you build trust (a building
block of Respect for People!)
The Power of Storytelling

10. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
2. Know Your Audience
– What’s the problem they need to solve?
– What do they spend their time doing/not doing?
– What do they like/dislike?
The Power of Storytelling

11. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
3. Why should anyone care?
– Make it relatable & relevant
– Pull from your history
• What have you done/seen/read about that helps them
solve their problem?
The Power of Storytelling

12. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
4. Use descriptive language
– Set the scene
– Use visuals when possible
– Make the ending have a point; a moral
The Power of Storytelling

13. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
5. Follow a timeline
– Begin at the beginning (whatever point that is)
– Don’t jump around
– Know where you are headed; lead the audience
there
The Power of Storytelling

14. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
6. Engage the audience
– Use this carefully!
• Make the answer you want
obvious. Getting an answer you
weren’t expecting will throw you
(and anyone else listening) off.
• Remember – YOU know this story
and all of its details. No one else
does.
The Power of Storytelling

15. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
7. Deliver the Punchline
– Doesn’t have to be funny
• DOES have to be meaningful!
– Tie back to origin (callback)
• How did the problem get solved?
• What was the outcome?
• Share the good and the bad – not
all outcomes are going to be
positive
The Power of Storytelling

16. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
• Where did I go to school (undergrad)?
• What is my BS degree in?
• Where did I get my MS degrees? What are they in?
• What year did New England Lean Consulting start?
• What TV show was I on and why?
The Power of Storytelling

17. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
Thank you!
Video link: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/02/shark-tank-mark-cuban-update-rugged-races-obstacle-course-company.html.

18. The information contained in this document is New England Lean Consulting (NELC) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of NELC and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of NELC. If consent is
given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. Diversion contrary to US law is prohibited. © NELC, 2022
Email: paul@newenglandlean.com
Website: www.newenglandlean.com
New England Lean Consulting
Twitter handle: @NELeanguy
New England Lean Consulting
Thank you!

19. Future Webinars
Register or get notified of future webinars: www.KaiNexus.com/webinars
NEXT WEBINAR:
Lean Lessons from “Shimmy Shack"
October TBD
Open to All
With Debra Levantrosser

20. blog.KaiNexus.com

21. The KaiNexus Podcast
• www.KaiNexus.com/podcasts
• Subscribe via:
– Apple Podcasts
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– Other apps & services

22. Q&A
• Web:
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– blog.kainexus.com
– www.newenglandlean.com
• Webinars on Demand:
– www.kainexus.com/webinars
• Social Media:
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– www.linkedin.com/company/kainexus
– www.facebook.com/kainexus
Host: Mark Graban
Senior Advisor, KaiNexus
Mark@KaiNexus.com
Presenter: Paul Critchley
New England Lean Consulting
paul@newenglandlean.com