The Key to Engagement is Narrative
Customer engagement, employee engagement, and supplier engagement are hot topics in quality management. We know that engagement (which is marked by rich interaction and involvement) is different than participation (just showing up). In the quality domain we don't typically distinguish between active participation and being a spectator.
Consumers can either participate or be engaged; prosumers are always engaged.
The key to achieving engagement is to develop a narrative. A hero's journey with one role specifically less defined, waiting for someone to step into its import, and in doing so - fulfill a slice of their own destiny. Companies like Storied exist specifically to help you craft a narrative - to sell a product, build a following, or start a movement.
As explained by novelist Justine Musk, engagement (from the perspective of how the concept can be used to become a better blogger) is this:
John Hagel makes the distinction between story and narrative.
1. Stories are...