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Story for
Communications

The training

Engage your teams, help your leaders lead.

This online professional development training will help your team master the science and psychology of story to improve internal comms and leadership.

Each session over the four weeks will provide practical ways of using story to unite a workforce, countering common issues like silos, poor communication, resistance to change and demotivation.

Share work with peers and get individual tutor feedback. By the end of the course you’ll have a real-world action plan, plus a kit of practical story tools that work like magic in every role and workplace.

As this counts as CPD training, participants may be able to get funding from an employer. You can book a place on the course as an individual, or block-book a class for your team.

Our team

Meet the experts

John Yorke

Course Director

John is widely acknowledged as the UK’s foremost expert on story and Into the Woods is the bestselling book on the subject in the UK. John’s worked on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely viewed and critically acclaimed TV drama, from EastEnders to Shameless, Life on Mars and Wolf Hall.

More about John
Richard Benson

Richard Benson

Course Director

Richard is ‘one of Britain’s leading cultural commentators’ (The Guardian), a prizewinning writer and bestselling author. Richard’s memoir was shortlisted for The Guardian’s First Book Award, chosen for Channel 4’s Richard and Judy’s Book Club and BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week, and was a number-one bestseller.

More about Richard

Things to know

Story for Communications is for anyone involved in internal communications who wants to learn how to use the science and psychology of storytelling to motivate, engage and unite employees.

The training is suitable for:

  • HR professionals
  • Team leaders
  • Those transitioning from management to leadership
  • Organisations undergoing change or developing new ways of working
  • Remote teams seeking ways to increase ‘togetherness’
  • Those looking for more effective ways to communicate at work and grow their creative skills
  • Anyone who can dedicate 3 hours a week to the learning (at a time to suit them)

This professional development training gives participants the story skills to:

  • Build stronger teams, motivate and retain people
  • Gain a competitive edge
  • Solve business problems
  • Identify communication issues and silos
  • Tell better brand stories
  • Nurture workforce creativity
  • Communicate your corporate strategy internally

Session 1: Why Stories Mean Success

We introduce the science of why stories unite groups and show how leaders in successful businesses use them to bond staff and encourage strong leadership. Examples from Patagonia, Dove, Ritz Carlton, BBC.

Session 2: Find Your Company Story

Learn how to find your organisation’s story — and easy ways to align it with corporate strategy and plans in a way everyone can connect with. Examples from Coca-Cola, Braun, NHS, Starbucks. We’ll also look at empathy and how to enthuse staff using story ‘hooks’.

Session 3: Characters in Your Story Team

Why everyone should have their own role in a company story, and how to use story science to establish roles, build teams and combat internal in-fighting. Examples from Mars Foods, Olympic Team GB, Lego – and the Spice Girls. Pull together an ideal department team as if casting a heist movie, and look at practical ways to empower individuals.

Session 4: Overcoming Obstacles with Story

How companies become stronger by engaging with and overcoming problems, the power of the external threat, and why the most successful teams are united by a common enemy. Examples from Apple, M&S, Amazon – and Jurassic Park. By the end you’ll have an action plan for improving three key problems in your company’s comms.

Join our alumni – After your course, you can join our online alumni community where you’ll meet our growing network of past students. You’ll be able to.

  • Rejoin your classmates in a private forum
  • Continue to access an archived version of your course materials
  • Meet alumni from other courses and share work for feedback
  • Join discussions about screenwriting, script editing and the industry
  • Attend live chats with guest writers and industry folk

Mentoring and one-to-one feedback – Our team offer mentoring, script reads and reports. We are happy to quote by job or script, or to arrange a longer mentoring scheme as you work on a specific story idea. We’ll create a package to suit you, so please email [email protected].

How it Works

Our training’s taught 100% online in small groups with a designated tutor and moderator on-hand throughout.

It’s an active learning experience where you’ll read, watch and practise exercises in your own time before submitting assignments for peer and tutor feedback. You’ll then review and refine your work as you get better and better.

Fit the course around your work and time zone – just allow 5-7 hours to work through each session.

It’s both flexible and structured. Social and yet gives you space. Find out more about how we teach.

Book now Ask us anything
John Yorke teaching Storycon
Our Alumni

What people say

Robbie Handy

SEO content writer

“Story for Communications has real depth but it’s so accessible…you peek under the hood of a super-effective story and recognise each gripping point. Once you know where those sweet spots are, you can tune them up in your own comms stories. Make them sticky.”

Read Robbie’s full review. 

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