Cynthia Forstman is co-founder and partner at Allegory Studios. She runs their Rocky Mountain office in Eagle, Colorado. Cynthia was interviewed by Teryl O’Keefe of The O’Keefe Group.
1) Tell us about yourself and what you do.
We help organizations tell their stories in new and powerful ways through the framework of Jungian archetypes. Whether they are building a brand, launching an employee initiative, establishing a new vision, or merging with another company, archetypes can provide a blueprint for meaningful messages.
You can learn more about the application archetypes in organizations by reading “The Hero and the Outlaw” by Carol Pearson, Ph.D. An organizational development specialist, Pearson developed a survey tool for assessing organizational culture against twelve Jungian archetypes.
2) What is one thing CCM Conference attendees will learn that they didn’t know before your presentation?
This is planned as an interactive session. Attendees will complete a “mini culture audit” that helps them identify which archetypal stories and characters are prominent in their organizations. An archetypal profile provides insight into the unwritten rules of engagement, from values and strengths to people, processes and progress.
Participants will get to “try on” these stories to experience how the culture of their organization might influence choices about the format, style, and content of their communications initiatives.
3) After your session, what will attendees be able to immediately bring back to their job and implement?
Archetypes can provide common ground for understanding and communication. The applications can be far-reaching, helping organizations:
- Recruit and empower effective leaders;
- Create a positive future vision that resonates with employees;
- Facilitate smooth mergers and acquisitions;
- Assess change readiness;
- Discover and build a compelling brand identity;
- Spread your message to new regions;
- Improve internal communications and teamwork; and more.
4) “What’s Next” in Communications for 2010 and beyond?
With all of the channels for modern-day messaging, I sometimes think we are just cluttering the universe with noise. People get lost in the constant stream of communications.
I believe ‘what’s next’ in communications ought to be less technical and more human, less corporate and more meaningful, less attention-getting and more poignant.
While we continue to gain ground in our ability to reach people wherever they are, we only connect with people when we speak to the heart.
Leave a comment