True Storytelling: Seven Principles for an Ethical and Sustainable Change-management Strategy

True Storytelling is a new method of studying, planning, facilitating, ensuring, implementing and evaluating ethical and sustainable changes in companies, organizations and societies. True Storytelling is both a method with seven principles and a mindset to help managers and researchers to work with change. True Storytelling stresses that we need to balance the resources of the Earth, our wellbeing and the economy when we are dealing with change.

It is not only a book about how to prevent climate change, it is also a book about how we can navigate through crisis, create less stress and achieve better life in organizations and in society as a whole. You will learn how to create innovative start-ups with a purpose and fund money for sustainable projects and good ideas.

The book combines practical cases, interviews with managers and CEOs, theory and philosophy to define the method and to teach the Seven True Storytelling Principles:

1 You yourself must be true and prepare the energy and effort for a sustainable future

2 True storytelling makes spaces that respect the stories already there

3 You must create stories with a clear plot, creating direction and helping people prioritize

4 You must have timing

5 You must be able to help stories on their way and be open to experiment

6 You must consider staging, including scenography and artefacts

7 You must reflect on the stories and how they create value

This book is a guide to implementing these core principles to boost leadership practices, create a storytelling culture and staff buy-in. The method is also useful as an analytical tool for organizations, managers and consultants in order to prepare, plan and execute the implementation of strategies. It is valuable reading for researchers and students at master level as well as leaders and consultants in charge of ethical and sustainable changes.

Jens Larsen is a storytelling researcher and the founding partner of the Danish consulting company Old Friends Industries. Jens has written books about ethics and leadership and worked with managers from brands like IKEA, Novo, Microsoft, Mærsk and public organizations and NGOs like Red Cross.

David M. Boje Ph.D. is a Professor at Aalborg's Business College and Regents Professor and Professor Emeritus at New Mexico State University. He teaches qualitative storytelling science methods at Cabrini University in Philadelphia. He is editor-in-chief of the Business Storytelling Encyclopedia. Boje gives invited keynote presentations on storytelling science, water crises, and the global climate crisis, in Zoom sessions, all around the world.

Lena Bruun has 24 years of professional experience as a manager, advisor and consultant within the public and private sector; including Roskilde Municipality, The Museum of Rock, Pop and Youth culture Ragnarock and a communication consultancy. Lena is partner in Old Friends Industries.