HRM Report: Analyzing Innovation and Leadership Through Narratives

This report examines the role of narratives in innovation project leadership, drawing on the articles 'Telling Tales' by Stephen Denning and 'The Innovation Journey and the Skipper of the Raft' by Enninga and van der Lugt. It analyzes how storytelling can be a powerful tool for leaders to inspire and motivate their teams, manage organizational complexity, and drive innovation. The report highlights the importance of storytelling in knowledge management, problem identification, and fostering collaboration. It also includes a scenario where a human resource manager at Starbucks uses storytelling to address employee demotivation during a financial crisis, emphasizing the need for transparency and a comfortable environment to encourage open communication and boost morale. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of accepting both success and failure in the innovation process.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Table of contents
Q 3A.1:............................................................................................................................................2
Q 3A. 2:...........................................................................................................................................2
3b.....................................................................................................................................................4
Reference list...................................................................................................................................5

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Q 3A.1:
STORY: the selected story is ‘AS WE SAIL TO NEW YORK’
Q 3A. 2:
The story has shed light on the leadership quality ion which individuals get the chance for
explaining their ambitions towards achieving the target. In this analysis, it can be said that based
on the story, contribution of individuals towards bringing the changes has been described
(Enninga and van der Lugt 2016:p77). In this story the ambitions of individuals and its important
role for satisfying the development concerns have been described. The aim of this analysis is to
investigated on the significance of innovation process based on the narrative explanation. In the
article it has been identified that due to exploratory characteristics of innovation projects, it is
different form the others projects. In this story, it has been mentioned that a project leader
implements the innovation practices by accepting both the success and failure. Based on the
strategic perspectives of individuals, it has been identified that in order to manage the
organizational complexity, the contribution towards implementing ambitions can be considered
as the important tool (Enninga and van der Lugt, 2016:p100). By continuing this, it can be said
that storytelling pattern can also play an important role for bringing both the positive and
negative impact on the business practices. In the article Denning (2004), has shed light on the
power of innovation has been discussed. In this article, the story telling process has been
considered as one of the important activities in business performance (Denning, 2004: p126).
Analyzing this article, the capability of storytelling has been considered as the important process
for driving a strong mind set as it has encouraged individuals for sharing their ambitions. By
continuing this, it can be said that the biggest strength of storytelling process is here the
objectivity, heartlessness and impersonality are being highlighted. Based on the disruptive

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changes, it has been analyzed that process of leadership involves in inspiring people for acting in
unfamiliar situation.
In order to develop an effective business argument, storytelling helps to develop the
narrative link between casual consequences and development processes. Based on the story
telling process, not only the knowledge management activities in the large organizations can be
understood, but also it can play an effective role for understanding the problem identification
abilities of the leader. In this article, storytelling process has been considered as the important
process in which people can be easily motivated. By continuing this, it can be said that it is
important for the leaders to have story telling abilities as in the story telling process both the
success and failure are being discussed. In this article it has been mentioned that different story
telling practices are being developed based on transmitting values, fostering collaboration
different patterns such as sparking action, communicating with the audience, taming the
grapevine, sharing knowledge and leading people into the future (Denning, 2004:p78).
Understanding the contrast between the story and the narrative pattern of the Telling
tales, it can be said that here in the article the significance of storytelling and its strong impact of
both the psychological and business development have been discussed. By continuing this, it can
be said that in the second article, the different processes of storytelling have been developed,
which can be followed by a leader towards managing the innovation projects. By highlighting
narrative pattern, it has been analyzed that in order to bring successful changes in business,
involvement of audience by motivating them psychologically, the story can help to encourage
individuals towards increasing their risk taking abilities.

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3b.
Being a human resource manager at Starbucks, I have asked for taking a session with the
employees regarding the recent financial crisis faced by the company. Due to the repeated
financial loss, the employees were highly demotivated and which has increased the rate of
employee turnover. In this session, my aim was to introduce motivational stories, so that
individuals can get motivated towards their job. The aim of my story was to communicating with
the employees so that they can identify their own strength and weaknesses. In short, I can say my
aim was to make my employees comfortable so that they can feel free to discuss about the
emerging crisis. In order to grab the attention of the audience, I have made the power point
presentation, in which different achievements as well as failures of our organization have been
shown to the audience. I believe, it is very important for the individuals to understand, there are
many failure being a success story. Through the story telling process, I want to provide a
comfortable environment to the audience, so that they can recollect their energy. I believe, being
a good leader, it is very important for the individuals to accept both the success and failure of the
individuals. Financial crisis as well as insufficiency of the employees has been clarified to the
audience so that they can identify the actual reason behind the situation. I believe, by making the
transparency with the audience, it will be easier for me to increase awareness among the
audiences, which can indirectly motivate them towards achieving the organizational goals.

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Reference list
Denning, S., 2004. Telling tales. harvard business review, 82(5), pp.122-129.
Enninga, T. and van der Lugt, R., 2016. The innovation journey and the skipper of the raft:
About the role of narratives in innovation project leadership. Project Management
Journal, 47(2), pp.103-114.