So far, we’ve talked about why stories are a powerful tool and how to use them best. Now we get to do the fun part – mine for gold and discover the stories that are relevant and meaningful for you and your audiences. You might be surprised by how many different types of stories you can use in your work. The possibilities are really endless, and they only share one rule: Use the right tool for the job.
The right communication tool isn’t always a story. But when it is, choosing the right type and length of story for your audience and purpose will help it land. What will have the impact you need?
In this article, I’m going to share with you some of the different types of stories that you could use, with the intention of catalyzing creative brainstorming. Some of my clients have built a “story library”: a robust, curated set of stories ready to deploy when the moment calls for it. Think of it like having a well-stocked toolbox.
Mythology & Folktale
Lately, I’ve been telling the Taoist story of the Chinese Farmer a lot. But mythologies and folktales can be borrowed from popular culture (think Wonder Woman or Harry Potter), or could be little snippets from longer tales.
Example: A client of mine was struggling in his job, and I said to him, “Your job sounds like the Myth of Sisyphus — Sisyphus was doomed to roll a boulder uphill, only to have it roll back down… over and over again.” My client said, “OMG YES, that’s exactly what this feels like!” I didn’t have to tell the full mythology. I just shared the punchline, and it was the right tool for the job.
Your Personal or Professional Stories
When have you overcome a challenge, solved a hard problem, or overcome adversity? Whether personal or professional, these stories are gold — especially when you want to show empathy for a struggling team or to motivate and inspire them to keep going.
You can also consider crafting what I call an “origin-mission story”: A story about why you do what you do and how you got to where you are today. I use this type of story when I teach workshops. I’ve seen this type of story used in job interviews, motivational speeches, or by company founders in fundraising campaigns.
Other People’s Stories
With permission, I frequently repeat other people’s stories that are inspiring to me. For example, I tell a story about a horrific ecological tragedy that activated massive resources and change, ultimately leading to the restoration of critical habitats. The stories we collect from others can be just as powerful as our own. If it’s memorable and useful, it belongs in your toolbox.
Customer or Client Avatar Stories
What is your customer/client experiencing? And what might they experience if they use your product or service? Walking through that journey as a narrative can be a powerful communication tool — both with customers/clients and with your own internal team.
Future Prediction Stories
When the unknown feels scary or cloudy, painting a vivid picture of where you’re headed — and what the journey ahead might look and feel like — can be a powerful way to ground a team in the process and begin to illuminate the path forward. (As we explored in the first article of this series, stories activate the brain’s visual processing centers, which is why this works.)
In the next article, we’ll go deeper into storytelling for change management. In the meantime, I hope this has sparked ideas about your own meaningful stories that you can bring into work. I’d love to hear your stories – what’s working for you and having an impact? What stories would you like to develop?
If you know someone who could benefit, please forward this to them.
If you’d love some 1:1 coaching to build your stories and sharpen your communication, I’d love to meet with you: schedule a session. New clients can start with a free 30-minute intro session.