Of the many communication tools leaders have to create impact and influence (such as inquiry, dialogue, presentations, data, research, etc.), storytelling is one of the most powerful and impactful. Storytelling is inherently creative, so to use it effectively, my college professor always said you have to “prime the pump” of your creativity. Today’s article is intended to help you get your creative juices flowing by brainstorming story possibilities to uplevel your storytelling game.
You can use stories in so many ways, including but not limited to:
- Educating
- Inspiring (uplift; bring them to a new mental/emotional state)
- Motivating (call them to new action; call for support, resources, funding, sales, etc.)
- Establishing knowledge, authority, credibility
- Building trust, connection, empathy
- Change management
I will offer examples of each one, but first, let’s talk about how to take the time to tell a story.
Take the [Short] Time to Tell a Story
Sometimes people think they don’t have time to tell a story, but a story doesn’t have to be long. In fact, most stories in a business setting last about 2-5 minutes. But there are other narrative options you can use as well:
- Anecdote (~30 seconds-1.5 mins): 1-2 sentences that create a short narrative. Example: “This job sounds like the Myth of Sisyphus, where Sisyphus was doomed to roll a boulder uphill only to have it roll back down again… for an eternity.”
- Metaphor (~ 30 seconds): A short visual that paints a powerful picture. Example: Comparing the movement of the supply chain to the movement and organization of leaf-cutter ants.
To get you brainstorming, here are some fun and interesting examples of ways my clients and I have used stories and anecdotes.
Storytelling to Educate
Many of my clients are surprised when I point out just how much of their job involves educating other people. There are many ways in which your role may involve educating others, whether they are stakeholders, leadership, employees, customers, or clients. Here are just a few examples:
- Use a story to illustrate how a new method, practice, service, or tool works
- Use a story to teach people about the efficacy and importance of new technology or a scientific breakthrough
- Use a story to represent and embody the voice of the customer/client
Stories can help bridge the gap and make your point real, and help your teaching land.
Using Stories to Inspire
Because stories can activate the brain’s emotional processing centers and help us empathize with the teller, you can use a story to influence or transform your audience’s emotional state.
Example: My client’s team was feeling incredibly demoralized by what was happening with their parent company and the industry. She told a very vulnerable story about a time in her career when she was in an impossible situation, thought she was reaching the end of a road, how she overcame it, and how her work and capacity grew in ways she had not expected. Years later, her team still cites the story as an important inspirational moment in their careers.
Leveraging Stories to Motivate Action
Much like using a story to uplevel an emotional state, storytelling can also bring people to new action. There are many examples of this, but here’s a short list to kickstart your imagination.
You can use stories to:
- Motivate customers/clients to use a product or a service. Example: Telling a story about how a product/service, when used well, will eliminate a core challenge your audience is having.
- Activate a team to execute a new standard of execution or excellence. Example: A story about the Wright brothers inspires an engineering team to break down their project into smaller pieces to solve, de-risk the tech faster and better, and meet their goal sooner.
- Ask your industry to engage in new or perceived high-risk change. Example: Telling a story about drought resiliency when asking ranchers or private landowners to restore water ecosystems and partner with conservation organizations.
- Activate more resources, funding, or support. Example: Using stories to talk about the positive and powerful impact of a project or organization.
One way to think about this is that sometimes people can’t fully see themselves taking new action until they hear a story that allows them to imagine taking that action and also plugs them into the deeper why they would take that action. As you’ve heard me say before, starting with Why and motivating people with the right purpose is a key component of leadership and influence.
Stories That Help You Establish Knowledge, Authority, or Credibility
In certain circumstances, a story can be a great way to introduce yourself and give others a window into your experience and expertise. A great example of this was a client of mine who had to present to an incredibly skeptical audience. My client knew they would doubt his knowledge and expertise, and resist anything he had to say. So he did two things really well in his presentation: 1) He acknowledged the skill, knowledge, and expertise of the audience (which showed how much he knew and understood their worlds), and 2) He wove stories into his presentation about his first-hand experience with the challenges and solutions he was talking about. I’m thrilled to report that he won his audience over, and the passionate Q&A section ran way over time because the audience was so engaged in his topic.
Using Storytelling to Build Trust, Connection, and Empathy
The last story also illustrates how to build trust with stories, but here’s another approach to creating connection and empathy. Years ago, as I prepared to facilitate a 3-day retreat for a new organization, the retreat planner called me and said, “Oh, by the way, this group hates outsiders. So good luck with that. Thought I should warn you.” Oh, fabulous, I thought. How am I going to connect with them and earn their trust?
I had already planned to start one of the trainings with a story to educate and give them context. I simply edited the story to weave in details from my life that related to their work and context. I wanted them to know that though I had a lot to learn from them, I also understood their context better than they might have thought.
When I was done with the story, I asked, “What are you taking away from this story?” One person shot their hand up and said, “You’re one of us now!” I almost fell over. I felt grateful and amazed that just one story could bridge the gap and create meaningful connection and trust.
A Quick Teaser on Stories for Change Management
In a future article, I will explore more about using storytelling to navigate change and change management. But here’s a quick teaser: If a story gives them a picture of what’s to come and helps make the unknown more knowable, then it can help your team/audience embrace change faster.
But first, in the next article, I will talk about how to find and cultivate stories that will be useful and impactful for you. It’s all about finding the right tool for the job. You likely have a bigger treasure trove of possible stories than you realize.
Where have you seen the most powerful use of stories? When have you used stories, or when has a story impacted you? Let me know, I’d love to hear. I hope today’s article has inspired new possibilities to uplevel your use of stories to educate, inspire, motivate, and connect to your audience.
If you know someone who could benefit, please forward this to them!
If you would love some 1:1 coaching to build your stories and improve your public speaking, I’d love to meet with you: schedule a session. New clients can start with a 30-min free intro session. I look forward to connecting with you.