Historians explain the development of elaborate structures we call cultures – one way that they do this is by examining businesses, non-profits and other communities where work happens. Organizations are being disrupted at a rate never before experienced. Only 11% of today’s Fortune 500 companies were around in 1955. Historians can provide organizations with an accurate and authentic sense of purpose. And they can provide broader perspectives on its culture by telling stories that insulate the enterprise from disruption. Here are three reasons why your organization needs historians.

Understand the purpose

Whether it’s a business, non-profit organization or school, explaining why your organization exists is essential for attracting customers and talent. According to Fast Company’s Patrick Cook-Deegan and Kendall Cotton Bronk, this is what the power-asserting Millennial generation demands:

Studies show that finding purpose in their work is a critical factor for millennials and key to helping recruit, retain, and inspire a younger generation of workers. If you are a leader trying to recruit top millennial talent and you are not prioritizing the creation of purpose for your employees, you are going to miss out on some of the most coveted people on the job market.

Simon Sinek’s infamous “Start With Why” TED Talk (and subsequent movement) underscores the value of organizations leading with their purpose, as opposed to what value they produce for the world. Historians are well-equipped to dig into the archives to uncover facts about why an enterprise exists. For organizations that emerged because of a market or government failure, which is the case for many co-operatives or non-profits that provided essential services, food or healthcare when no one else would, the history behind what societal value is created today can be illuminating and inspiring.

Enhance leadership potential

When leaders understand their organization’s history they become just plain better leaders. Dream-job-having business history consultants, John T. Seaman and George David Smith, argue that “a sophisticated understanding of the past is one of the most powerful tools we have for shaping the future.” For example, during mergers and acquisitions – or more co-operative, networked approaches for expanding business – it helps to understand where companies that are aligning their work might have shared values or challenging counterpoints. Say Seaman and Smith:

The job of leaders, most would agree, is to inspire collective efforts and devise smart strategies for the future. History can be profitably employed on both fronts. As a leader strives to get people working together productively, communicating the history of the enterprise can instill a sense of identity and purpose and suggest the goals that will resonate.

Historians unlock an enterprise’s ability to achieve a sense of identity and purpose that allows leaders to align peoples’ personal potential with a clear and authentic origin story.

Cultivate storytellers

In my humble opinion, Historians are the world’s greatest storytellers (this might come off as a bit trite given that I have two History degrees but bear with me). Storytelling is a fundamental skill for organizations to cultivate in people and as a community. Stories about incredible customer service or rock star innovation drive engagement from employees and clients. Stories of management incompetence or team overload can also push your organization away from productivity – impacting morale and results.

Here’s Fast Company’s Seth Kahan’s take on an unconventional insight into the importance of storytelling:

And there’s a hard financial reason behind the answer: for firms, in a world of deep, rapid and pervasive change, it’s tough to think of anything that could have a bigger, immediate impact on a firm’s bottom line than a capacity to communicate difficult change messages compellingly to staff and to clients.

Historians can also evolve the traditional, kinda-bullshit “hero’s journey” story into one that is more complex, accurate and authentic, especially when we shine the light on members of the narrative who are so often marginalized. Human beings naturally gravitate to compelling stories, so consider how you might align peoples’ need for storytelling with your organization’s ultimate purpose. Perhaps have a Historian investigate the opportunity.

Shout out to ActiveHistory.ca

ActiveHistory.ca is one of my favourite websites because it put modern events in historical context with great research and awesome storytelling. The platform has a compelling purpose, too:

We define active history variously as history that listens and is responsive; history that will make a tangible difference in people’s lives; history that makes an intervention and is transformative to both practitioners and communities.

Putting every day decisions in historical context does everything from mitigate unconscious bias to enhancing strategic direction. Consider how you will make the craft of history a more active part of your organization today.

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This article was originally published on March 13, 2019