20 Ways to Spot Willing Storytellers in Every Organization

Consider various triggers that are ideal times to ask employees or outside stakeholders for stories. Doing so increases the likelihood getting a story from someone who is eager and happy to share. As a story steward find a way to be notified of events and triggers that you can use and weave into your content curation flow.

Remember, with GoodSeeker you can invite people to submit stories (get) and / or publish stories that that include outsiders (give). Why wait for a thank you testimonial when you can give one instead!

20 Triggers, clues, and sources to find storytellers:

1. Company leaders (who are “already” storytellers. One story can compel others).
2. New hires (30 and 60 days is a great time to reflect on your earliest days!).
3. Work anniversaries (just after 2, 3, and 5 year milestones).
4. Hiring Managers (anyone who has responsibility for building the team).
5. Subject Experts (employees regarded for their expertise).
6. New mentors (They are in it to help others, and a great source of stories).
7. Interns (at the beginning and end of an internship when optimism is high).
8. Recent certifications (they are happy to achieve a goal, and likely to encourage others).
9. Recent promotions (a key point in their career when they should feel accomplished).
10. Volunteers (typically engaged and happy to share your community story).
11. ERG Members (engaged in doing more to build culture and the brand).
12. Awardees (when someone is recognized through other means).
13. Active Socials (anyone who has promoted a job or something positive on socials).
14. Referrers (anyone who has submitted an employee referral within the last 120 days).
15. Referral Makers (anyone who has told you that they left a positive Indeed or Glassdoor review).
16. Project Managers (show the art of getting things done by the team who makes it happen).
17. Satisfied Clients (publish or request a story about what you did together).
18. True Partners (publish or request a story about the impact of working as one).
19. Boomerangs (if they left and came back you can be sure they have a story to share).
20. Board Members (they know you best and have a vested interest in your success.)

To integrate this into a content curation strategy:

• Set up notifications: Ensure that you’re notified about key events (anniversaries, promotions, certifications, etc.) through your internal systems or personal outreach.
• Proactively reach out: Don’t wait for individuals to come to you. Actively invite them to share a story during these moments.
• Offer a “give” story: Sometimes sharing a thank you or an impact story about them first can lead to a reciprocal story from the person.

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