755: How to Lead a Meaningful Cultural Shift, with David Hutchens

Leaders can leverage storytelling to navigate organizational change and shape company culture. David Hutchens, a storytelling expert, highlights the importance of intentionality in aligning stories with desired cultural values. He contrasts two personal anecdotes where leaders either neglected the "why" behind organizational shifts, leading to confusion, or artfully framed change through narrative, fostering smoother transitions. Hutchens introduces the concepts of "embodied stories," where leaders model desired behaviors, and "received stories," gathered from employees to reflect the organization's true identity. WD-40's CEO posting his 360-degree feedback exemplifies leading by example. The discussion emphasizes that systems move towards the stories they consistently hear, urging leaders to promote narratives that showcase desired behaviors.