When I was a kid I dreaded the question: what will you be when you grow up. I didn’t know. My brothers didn’t know. We watched cartoons, frolicked outdoors and played video games. That’s it. While everyone else seemed to have an idea. We didn’t. I didn’t. Until that one night in 1987. That night my brothers rented “Top Gun” from our local Blockbuster. After seeing Maverick hit Mach speed I knew right there and then: I’m going to be a fighter pilot.
Two important lessons from the journey that followed. First, Tom Cruise makes every job look cool – I mean really. But, more importantly it showed me that storytelling, done right, has a big impact on others. Stories make you want to move. Make you act. Make you dream about being part of something big. And it’s not just me. Stories are universal, meaning that most of us get the same feeling when watching or reading it. Precisely why Top Gun led to a 500% increase in military recruiting within the first year of its release.
While my personal story took an unexpected turn when I got rejected by the Airforce at 18, I always remembered this seemingly tiny yet powerful lesson. I made this skill my own. Storytelling became my talent and helped me to get where I am today. To get my first promotion. To seal the deal on my first funding. To grow the business to a point where I can use my talent to help others find theirs.
Storytelling is a powerful method to hire faster and stronger. Whatever story you choose to tell, make sure everyone in your team, from top to bottom, knows it and loves it. But if you need help writing that story and creating original recruitment copy we would love to hear from you too.
