I am a great proponent of storytelling because narratives are transformative. As the writer of the story, we get an opportunity to take a deeper look at our actions and behaviors. As a reader of the anecdote, we peer into someone else’s journey and how they grew from the experience.
Take the children’s classic story, “The Little Engine That Could”. The Little Engine faced the challenge of carrying toys up a steep, seemingly impassable mountain to deliver to the little girls and boys. Everyone on his team was quite negative, possessing no vision of how to arrive at their destination. But as an empowered leader, the Little Engine shares his thought process of how to overcome the obstacles. At the end not only does the Little Engine rejoice but so do all the readers. “I think I can” becomes a mantra for young and old leaders facing the many roadblocks we encounter.
So what is your leadership story? What do you want to share to display the kind of leader you are? What kind of story will you tell to the people you connect with each day?
STEP 1: THINK OF A MOMENT OF TRUTH
We all have those encounters and experiences that made an impact on what decision we made. Sometimes it involves circumstances and other times it’s all about what an individual said to us. I had a boss early on in my career who believed I had the skills that I didn’t think I possessed. She let me run with my imagination and work ethic. She propelled me into my career today and made me realize I could tackle challenges through sheer will and research. Who is that person who had trust in your abilities even if you didn’t?
STEP 2: BE VULNERABLE
Once you have selected that moment of truth, think about when you were most vulnerable during that encounter. When did you realize the transformation beginning and how did you feel?
[Tweet “When we share moments of vulnerability, we lead with storytelling.”]
STEP 3: SHARE THE DETAILS
The key to a great story is in the details in describing how it happened. Have fun with this step and dig deep. I find that once I begin to remember my moments of truth, they become vivid in what everyone looked like and said. I can even remember what I was wearing. Use your five senses to help with honing in on the specifics.
STEP 4: ADD AN ELEMENT OF SURPRISE
All good stories need a twist to captivate yourself and those around you. What did you do to draw from your under utilized leadership toolbox? How did you find the courage to locate that untapped resource?
[Tweet “Great leadership stories contain an element of surprise.”]
STEP 5: BE CLEAR ON WHAT YOU LEARNED
Just like the Little Engine, make sure you have a clear understanding of the lessons you learned and how you want to share them. This is the most valuable part of your storytelling as it allows others to transfer your words of growth into their worlds. Maybe even choose a catchy phrase for people to walk away with or a song to reinforce how the narrative still guides you today.
What is your leadership story? What lessons do you share with the people who surround you?
Terri, I’m a big believer in leaders using strategic storytelling to share a message. I agree with you, sharing the details is an awesome way to draw in your listeners to make the message truly memorable.
Details give life to a story and draw people in. When I describe an event or situation, I want people to feel like they are right there with me, being part of my adventure. Of course they can draw their own conclusions and lessons.
Thanks Karin!
This is an important point, Terri, and you’ve given leaders excellent ways to get started in taking ownership of their story.
It’s hard work to excavate the significance of our stories and experiences but it is essential, not only for our team members, but for ourselves as well. We need to “own” the feelings, thoughts, and behavior that have brought us to where we are today. Only then can we choose which ones are going to continue to serve us well going forward and those that are not—then dump the ones that continue to rear their ugly head when we least expect it.
Great post and great point!
Wonderful point, LaRae about “owning our feelings, thoughts and behavior”. It is essential that leaders be honest with themselves about the good, the bad and the ugly experiences they have encountered and take-away the important lessons from each. Sometimes we dread thinking about our true feelings with an incident in our past. However, we learn the most from those missteps and those teachings are critical to our leadership stories.
No two leadership stories are the same, yet each story is magical if we can share it with confidence.
Thanks LaRae for your always great insights!
Storytelling is so much more powerful than becoming a walking training manual. They pull us in, speak the truth, and teach us something unexpected about the teller too (and oh, oftentimes about ourselves and our challenges ahead).
When I help people flesh out their stories, I often have the linger on the moment of truth and vulnerability. Beyond feeling… who was there? where were you? what was the day like? It helps to step into the moment and share from truth.
Great process for leaders to step through!
Thanks, Terri!
Understanding ourselves more deeply is truly the greatest benefit of storytelling. When leaders take the time to explore themselves from the inside out, an exciting rebirth can occur. They reflect on how they arrived where they are today by recognizing what experiences and people impacted their journey.
I love your comment: “Great process for leaders to step through!” Creating our leadership stories helps us learn what we are all about, why we chose a certain path and how we want to share our lessons.
Thanks Alli for sharing your great perspective. You are a wonderful storyteller!
I love this post Terri! More than likely because I love stories and when I encounter people that use their personal stories to share their message, it enables me to connect with them as real people. Far more easily than if someone just regurgitates or paraphrases a list of points or facts to remember.
Without the emotional element to connect with, data is meaningless. Emotion is that important connecting point we need to motivate us to CARE about the data someone is passing on to us. If I can’t relate to the data in a personal way, the less likely I will care about it OR I may simply not understand the info enough to know how to apply it in different situations.
Story is the best way to connect with out audience, enable them to care about the data, and inspire them to DO something with it.
There’s a reason why telling stories around a campfire doesn’t go out of style…because that’s been the greatest way to pass on important knowledge to one another.
Thanks for sharing!
Terrific point Samantha about stories being “the greatest way to pass on important knowledge to one another”! When we share life lessons within our families, it too is about stories about family member experiences.
I also agree that it is the emotional element of a story that brings connection and meaning to others. That is why it is so helpful when our stories have detail so that our sharing comes alive to the people who are listening.
Thanks Samantha for your excellent additions to our dialogue on leadership storytelling! Your stories continue to inspire all of us!
Terri – I smiled when you mentioned the Little Engine That Could because I just shared that story with my 9-year-old neighbor. I was helping her with her homework and she was getting tired.
As we opened her Math book she said “I CAN’T DO THIS!”
So I stopped her and told her that whatever words come out of her mouth her ears hear and her brain believes.
Then she plugged her ears and said, “I CAN’T DO THIS!” (I’m still laughing about that!)
So I asked if I told her a story would he would do her math? She agreed and I told her the story about The Little Engine.
Now when she starts to get tired or feels tempted to be discouraged she says, “I CAN DO THIS, I CAN DO THIS, I CAN DO THIS.” (No reminders from me!)
And each time my heart smiles and I wonder how that new little habit will change her life…
I just love that story, Chery about your neighbor! By you leading the way and showing her the power we all have within us, she was able to take the mantra from “The Little Engine That Could” and apply it to have meaning in dealing with her obstacles. Isn’t it amazing how certain stories can stay with us for a lifetime!
Just as that childhood story is timeless, our leadership stories can stay with people for their entire careers. We can impact future leader’s in the same way we were influenced by mentors we met along the way.
Thanks Chery for your beautiful storytelling!