In 2008 we firmly established Business Storytelling in The Netherlands through the standard work Storytelling Handboek. We have helped thousands of organizations and professionals achieve their goals through the connecting power of stories ever since.
We’re very proud to announce that our most recent book, Storylistening (available in Dutch) has been selected for the Dutch shortlist for Managementbook of the year 2021!
We strongly believe that listening always preceeds telling. And that storylistening gives organizations and leaders essential and indispensible insight into the so called undercurrant: experiences, perceptions and emotions of employees, customers, clients, patients and any other relations.
Customers’ experiences
“I followed the Art of StoryListening training at TheStoryConnection. What a great training! Annet is an attentive, professional and experienced trainer. Storytelling holds no secrets for her, that is for sure. It doesn’t often happen that I come back from an educational session so satisfied. I have learned so many things that I can put into practise immediately. The training was a gift for me and a ‘must’ for others.”
HR- and change consultant
Entrepreneur
“The change process in our organization got stuck and we couldn’t figure out why. We asked TheStoryConnection to collect stories from our employees and analyse them. The analysis gave us valuable insight in the causes of the problem that we could never have gained otherwise. Suddenly, we knew where to find the enthusiasm that was lacking. That really disentangled the entire process.”
Project leader organisational development
Government
“The story that we developed for our team with Annet of TheStoryConnection means a lot to us. Where before we were two groups, we now operate as one team. Where before we had difficulty explaining our value to other departments, we now have a coherent and appealing story. And if we ourselves have doubts about whether or not we are on the right track, we come back to our story. It works exactly like Annet predicted: a clear story for the outside world, a reference point and touchstone for ourselves.”
Team leader
Insurance company
“I always contact Annet to help me prepare for important presentations. Using a few clear questions, she immediately puts me on the right track. She helps me find my own story in order to fit the specific situation. It is a curious paradox: what I am telling is my story, but, without Annet’s help, I would never have told it this way… I feel comfortable with this way of presenting and get a surprising amount of praise for it.”
Manager
Public domain
“During the StoryPractitioner training at TheStoryConnection we were taught to work with microstories: small, personal stories with a powerful meaning. We also learned to interpret these stories and recognize patterns that show who we really are as an organization. This has helped me enormously in developing our corporate story. The corporate story is well recognized and the underlying microstories generate a lot of enthusiasm. It really became our story. Not just any story written behind a desk!”
Communications adviser
Housing corporation
“How do we communicate the urgency of change to our colleagues? For this purpose, we developed a springboard story with TheStoryConnection. The effect was grand! The program manager told the story wherever she went. After that, the ‘why-question’ was completely solved! Conversations that followed would focus on how and what. This is exactly what we aimed for by developing this story! And when the filmed version of the story was shown to 1000 people on the annual technical day, the room responded with a wave of recognition. There is no more lack of support!”
Marketing / Communication advisor
Grid operation
TheStoryConnection worked for (among others):
