The Corporate Storyteller

Investing in employee and leadership training not only helps to develop a company's current workforce but also attracts and retains more high-caliber people. David Conradie, director of human capital for Deloitte in New Zealand, addressed a "critical shortage of talent" in the country by offering ways for organizations to ensure ROI on training, including one ideally suited for storytelling.

First, Conradie says in an article in the Star-Telegram, it's essential for corporate training leaders to understand organizational goals so they can design programs that support the goals. Second, leaders must be able to clearly communicate what success looks like at each level of the company. (Storytelling is a perfect tool for accomplishing this.) Third, organizations need to conduct in-depth assessments of their leaders' abilities so they know exactly what the training and development needs are. These steps, in turn, lead to a more fully developed workforce, both current and future.