How a Storyteller Conquered the Corporate World
Making the Summer Intern as the Hero / Heroine
#newspaperinlearning
Quite often we have this perception that, storytelling is something that’s confined to literature or the movies.
In this article in today’s Times of India, Nidhi Alexander applies a storyteller’s creativity to the corporate world.
[On an aside, this blogpost vibes so well with our past two posts on storytelling!] 😊
In fact, the article redefines storytelling!
Nidhi feels that a brand is not just a logo or a product, but a narrative!
A narrative that continues to “live in the minds of people”.
So who is Nidhi Alexander?
Nidhi Alexander is the Chief Marketing Officer of Hexaware Technologies – a company with an annual revenue of Rs. 13,400 crores. She has been associated with Hexaware since January 2020.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in arts (honours) from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication.
In this article, Nidhi shares the secret behind her transition from a deadline-driven television journalist to the Chief Marketing Officer at Hexaware.
And what is that secret?
Her mastery of storytelling, she confesses, has helped her to conquer the highly technical corporate world.
Or in other words, her ability to craft a compelling narrative!
And what Nidhi Alexander did here is quite an inspiration for all of us as well.
Instead of lamenting on what she lacked, she focused on her core strength – her ability to craft a story and her innate understanding of how stories live in the minds of an audience!
And through this unique skill of hers, she was able to successfully dismantle the age-old myth that a specialised degree is a necessary criteria for success in the corporate world.
Where did she apply this unique skill of hers?
During her tenure at Infosys, she was tasked with building InStep, their global internship programme. This was a chance to prove her strengths – her strength at crafting a story!
So what was the story that she had crafted?
Well, the “story” that she had crafted wasn’t a cliched tale. Instead, it was an experiential narrative - a story in which the participating interns actually lived and experienced the story for themselves!
And what was the setting to her story?
Infosys!
She positioned Infosys as the setting - not just as an outsourcing destination, but as a premier, cutting-edge global technology hub.
The story was about bringing top-tier heroes and heroines into the “heart of an Indian technology company” to do rewarding work.
So who were the protagonists?
Her narrative so beautifully framed the interns as highly sought-after talent – the heroes and heroines of Infosys. In short, they weren’t just summer interns! They were handpicked future leaders.
And the resolution?
Well, the climax of this story happens when the interns went back to their respective home states or nations. Because they were treated as real heroes and heroines, rather than temporary workers, they naturally transformed into “brand ambassadors.”
And so when they returned to top universities around the world and shared their experiences, Infosys was able to create a “steady year-round campus presence worldwide.”
In short, by making the students the heroes and heroines of this narrative, Nidhi ensured that they would tell the Infosys story long after the summer internship had ended.
Indeed, a powerful reminder on how creating a meaningful, experiential narrative for students can help elevate an institution’s global presence!
As Nidhi’s journey proves, the most powerful code that an industry can create isn’t Python or Java! It’s the story that they make their people to believe and experience!
I would love to end this post with a memorable quote from Steve Jobs –
The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.
On a related note, you may want to read the inspiring story of how Phil Knight, the founder of the world-famous Nike brand of shoes, had crafted his own impressive “brand narrative”, and made it a winnable “story” for his customers, on our past blogpost from eight years ago, HERE on our blog.
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