Page 2 - August 2020- CommExpert Digest - LCO as a Storyteller TEST_Neat

“Storytelling is like a bottle “The Leader as Storyteller,” Legal, LCO, and CommEx are
of ketchup - it makes “Today's Leaders Need To Be built on stories, too. All of us now
everything taste better. No Great Storytellers.” Be honest, know the founding story of
matter how good your how many of you on seeing CommEx: three years ago, a
French fries or burger, they article titles like these have small group signed up for a
are always complimented thought, “But I’m a lawyer/ contracting community of
and the flavor is enhanced paralegal/ admin assistant, I practice, met Kate’s vision of a
with a little ketchup. As
CommEx lawyers, we have don’t tell stories, I tell facts”? better Legal commercial
The best leaders need to tell an
to do more than develop organization, and CommEx was The most impactful stories are the
great advice. We have to authentic, realistic and born. Compelling stories
find a way to communicate believable story, filled with the influence the behaviors, great work stories: stories about
that advice so that it is promise of a better day. Easy! thoughts and feelings (yes, individual and team achievement.
simple and easy to Abbott is a company feelings!) of audiences. These stories serve to both
understand. Add a little built on stories: the stories we Every contract tells a recognize the individuals behind
storytelling to help your tell ourselves and each other story: with a protagonist
clients relate what you are about the company’s origins (the (Abbott), an antagonist (the the work and to inspire those who
telling them to something “founding story”) and who we other party), the goal (mutual hear it. What stories are you
relevant to their world and are 132 years later; pivotal benefit), the hero’s journey (the telling?
just like the French fries, stories about critical events in negotiations), the teamwork (the
you have enhanced the our history (separation, Ts&Cs) and the resolution (the “Stories are not indicators,
flavoring and made the anyone?); and teamwork stories signatures). Every presentation they ARE the
advice easier to understand (the amazing collaboration of is the construction of a narrative organization.”
and apply.” our Diagnostics colleagues in designed to elicit or respond to - David M. Boje, Professor of
response to COVID). We collect emotion in the audience and management at New Mexico
- Dave Walters, Division State University
Counsel, Medical Devices the stories of those whose lives presents a clear and compelling
have been changed for the story of facts for a purpose.
better by our products, and we
tell the world.
The Power of Storytelling Skills

There are excellent professionals in LCO, but how much do our business colleagues really know about what we do? If we want the business
to know what we do, why we do it and how our work has a direct impact that contributes to Abbott’s success, we must learn how to market
and talk about our work to the rest of the organization. An effective narrative surrounding our work will provide insight into the scope of our
day-to-day work and ”humanize” our legal work. We can achieve this by:

- Leveraging internal “PR” opportunities such as Employee Networks to share with them what our work is about
o Women Leaders of Abbott (WLA)
o Black Business Network (BBN)
o PRIDE (LGBTQ & Ally Network)
o LA Voice (Hispanic Latino Network)
o Asian Leadership and Cultural Network (ALCN)
o Veterans Network
o Women in Stem (W-STEM)
o Advancing Professional Network (APN)
o Flex Network
- Using tools like the 100,000 & 10,000 Foot Tools to identify impactful work and discuss lessons learned with our managers
- Sharing our CommEx mission and team structure with business stakeholders so that they are aware of LCO’s progress towards
our endeavors
- Presenting past and present examples of our role and impact to business stakeholders on a regular basis to ensure open dialogue
that promotes LCO as a true business partners
Ultimately, we are responsible for demonstrating our impact to the organization, and this requires us to communicate an effective narrative.
And the more we tell stories, the better storytellers we will become.
If you have any success stories demonstrating impact to our business partners using, please contact Harpreet Bansel or Aaron Shao!