A simple yet effective use of stories is to get staff to recount experiences of success (perhaps using an anecdote circle) before facing the new challenges of the day.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, this is the practice at Morton’s, The SteakHouse.

Using positive reinforcement always works better than, “If you don’t do this, you’re going to get written up,” says Steve Baker, training director at Morton’s the Steakhouse, the Chicago-based up-scale steakhouse chain.

Restaurants say positive reinforcement is often the most effective way to motivate workers. At Morton’s, which is owned by Morton’s Restaurant Group Inc., workers have mandatory meetings before each shift, where they share a meal and give examples of times when they provided good service during previous shifts.

The managers also tell servers about which VIPs plan to visit that evening. For Morton’s, encouraging servers with pep talks and stories of others’ successes generates energy for the workers and is more effective than having managers tell workers they’ll face consequences if they don’t perform, says Mr. Baker.

Notice how staff simply “give examples of times when they provided good service.” It is good practice to avoid the word ‘story’ when you are eliciting stories because the word confuses people into thinking they have to make it grander or even possibly make it up. Everyone can provide an example.

[thanks to Michelle De Lude from the Working Stories list]