Want Better Training Results? Tell Your Story.
It’s really simple – people get hooked on stories, and the tales stick with us. For example, once upon a time, there was a girl named Cinderella. Not only does that line open every fairy tale, but it also won’t leave your mind, no matter how old you get. That’s the same result you want for compliance communication and training, right?
What’s more – the same tales can be told as moral lessons as we get older. In Cinderella, the Princess gets invited to the ball and ends up with her Prince Charming, so it’s the classic, recognizable tale of good trumps evil. Beauty and the Beast centers on a young lad cast under a spell that can only be broken by true love and when it is, the two live happily ever after. The connections with stories are timeless.
Own Your Story with Confidence
People have always related to stories, and everyone has a story to tell. What’s yours? You just need to own it and believe it’s worth telling. In the business world, your story might be communication about an important regulatory update that affects multiple departments.
Have the confidence to get in front of adult learners and teach them about this important change. If you’re real, if you own and tell your story, you too can connect to people and change cultures, even in healthcare compliance.
Crafting The Compliance Narrative
It’s one thing to be a knowledgeable teacher and convey information to students, but it’s a whole other skill to be creative and entertaining with the subject matter so it sticks with students in a fun, engaging way. A well-crafted narrative definitely has its place in education, and that includes compliance training.
Achieving this level of success means first putting thought into what that story looks like. You need to determine exactly what it is you’re trying to teach. Is it a policy? A finding from a recent inspection? Best practices? Whatever it is, figure out the best way to connect this information with your audience. That could take different formats, depending on the situation.
Simple and Straightforward
For example, an inspector is on-site investigating a complaint received about your facility. They just want to know what happened from beginning to end. This means you need to find out and tell them the full truth, clearly articulating the story from beginning to end so you won’t prompt too many questions.
Get Attention with Negative Consequences
Here’s another example. You’re at a nursing meeting, and a new policy has rolled out. At this point it’s not about you. Present it in a way that shows you understand how the new policy impacts THEM. Explain why they should adhere to this policy and the consequences if they don’t. This situation is a perfect place for a story illustrating negative consequences.
Craft your story based on audience, requirements and outcomes.
Two Steps to Building an Effective Compliance Narrative
Drawing on your own strengths, abilities and resources often leads to more resonant, relevant interactions with colleagues. We’ve found taking these two steps can enhance your ability as a communicator.
1 – Share your experiences to create meaning.
Draw from your personal life to show how problems can be solved. This not only clarifies concepts but also motivates learners to learn new skills and solutions, making the story more meaningful to them. When learners find meaning in the concepts you teach, they’re more likely to pay attention, stay on task and grasp what is being taught.
2 – Embrace your authenticity to build trust.
People smell fake. They know when speakers have agendas and are trying to sell something or are even flat-out lying. Speaking your authentic truth builds trust with your learners. Yes, it’s hard to put your innermost thoughts and opinions out in public, especially in an open forum. You open yourself up to possible criticism, and that’s hard to take. But what that does is help you grow a little tougher skin, and that’s very healthy.
Practice Being a Compliance Communicator. Then Do It Again.
If you’ve never done much group speaking before, communicating as an educator will be new and possibly intimidating. But you will find that being real speaks volumes. You’re not teaching to impress or cater to anyone. Practice telling your story warts and all. Then do it again and again and again.
Stories connect people while transmitting knowledge. Make yours compelling, and you contribute significantly to your educational effectiveness.
John R. Nocero, Ph.D., and Andrea L. Bordonaro, MAT, blog on LinkedIn as “The Q-Kids,” discussing everything related to clinical research education, inspiration, and professional connection.
John is the Director of Quality at River Vista in Columbus, Ohio. He has worked in clinical research since 2003 and is inspired by the Irish professional wrestler Becky Lynch, whose personal and professional story centers on achievement, tenacity, grit, and overcoming adversity.
Andrea has taught first grade in Willoughby, Ohio for 25 years. She earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from John Carroll University and a Master’s Degree in the Art of Teaching and Education from Marygrove College.
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