Storytelling and Leadership Development

I spent more than a decade in the military, and among the many life lessons I learned is that sharing more of yourself with the people around you helps foster solid relationships and makes working together much easier. Work ceases to be just that when you know each other more personally. Through storytelling, I was able to foster trust and solidarity in my team — essential factors that made us more efficient and effective as a unit. 

Storytelling and leadership development work together to mold your team into a streamlined, productive force. Through stories, you can give a glimpse of your personal side and share essential messages in a more creative, impactful way. A good story can make a lasting impression on your team. 

This article discusses the value of storytelling in leadership and why it’s a crucial technique in effectively conveying vital messages and establishing your leadership role in the team. We’ll tackle some of the biggest misconceptions leaders have about storytelling and the many benefits you can enjoy when you master this skill. I’ll also provide tips on boosting your storytelling techniques. 

Is Storytelling Valuable in Leadership Development?

Who doesn’t love sharing or at least listening to fascinating stories? It’s something we can all relate to, especially since it stirs up many childhood memories — funny stories shared with friends in the cozy comfort of makeshift tents in the backyard, long-winded stories shared around the dinner table at the end of the day, and the ubiquitous bedtime stories for which we willed our eyes to stay open for so we could hear the much-anticipated happy endings. 

Storytelling is a valuable skill beneficial to carry well into adulthood. In the business setting, it makes a difference in how well you evolve as a leader. When you’re a good storyteller, you’re able to: 

• Strategically arrange facts, ideas, and opinions
• Effectively convey corresponding emotions
• Expertly weave facts with emotions
• Inspire your team members to act
• Influence changes in the organization
• Inspire empathy in your audience

A good leader who is an excellent storyteller can practically breeze their way into the hearts and minds of their team members. 

The Biggest Mistakes in Storytelling in Leadership

Many leaders need help understanding just how valuable storytelling skills can be. They’ve linked it to some pretty convincing misconceptions that relegate this competency to mere secondary importance. 

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest mix-ups most leaders have about storytelling and leadership development:

• Storytelling is as simple as accurately recounting events. Surprisingly, it’s not as simple as you might think. If you don’t make your story exciting enough, your audience may quickly get bored and lose interest in what you’re saying. 
• Storytelling in leadership should only involve facts. Good stories appeal to emotions without resorting to false information and deceit. Emotionally engaging stories will help you build rapport with your team, gain their trust, and earn their respect. It can also create a strong bond and sense of unity within the group. 
• You should always portray yourself as a winner. Leadership doesn’t imply faultlessness and excellence. To be more relatable and approachable to your team members, you must be willing to admit your faults, own up to your shortcomings, and be accountable for your mistakes. 
• You don’t have any stories to share. Come on now — everyone has something to share! Be it a tale from your childhood or a funny experience this morning, a good story can firmly establish your leadership role in your team. All it takes is practice so you eventually feel comfortable sharing even your personal stories and reflections on life experiences, all of which molded the kind of leader you are today. 
• Storytelling isn’t professional or ethical. As long as you don’t use your stories to manipulate anyone in the organization, you can use them to share information in a more meaningful, impactful way. 

How Storytelling Makes A Difference in Your Leadership Brand

You might never have guessed that your storytelling skills will be helpful in your leadership journey. You’d be pleasantly surprised to find out these seemingly trivial skills can mean the difference between being a successful or frustrated leader.

Benefits of Excellent Storytelling Skills in Leadership

Here are some of the most significant benefits you can expect from incorporating excellent storytelling in leadership:

• Lets your true character shine through. Storytelling allows you to introduce yourself to your team in creative, engaging ways. It can also exhibit your trustworthiness and credibility to your team. 
• Simplifies complicated ideas and strategies. Good stories can spark your team members’ curiosity in what you have to say. If you successfully grab their attention, sustain their interest, and perhaps appeal to their emotions, you can trigger action and arouse innovation. 
• Provides a more impactful method of communication. Getting your message across to your team becomes a more exciting endeavor. Communicate your team’s core values, visions, and goals through well-crafted stories that inspire them to remain engaged and committed. 
• Helps inspire change in a team. Stimulating, relevant stories can motivate your team members to facilitate positive, beneficial changes in the organization. These can encourage them to work more efficiently and to always be at the top of their game.
• Promotes authentic leadership. Your personality shines through your stories, allowing your team members to get to know you on a more personal level. This helps promote trust, respect, and transparency within the team.
• Provides an alternative technique of instruction. Imagine never having to put your team through boring and painful lectures and presentations again. Storytelling can best be utilized to share crucial information through a more creative, exciting, and impactful way. Do you ever notice that the best videos are stories, capable of attracting and holding your attention?

How To Use Storytelling To Make Yourself a Better Leader

A friend shared a story about when she worked as a financial advisor for an insurance company. She employed all the sales tactics and tools she learned from countless training sessions, but after being in the industry for 3 months, she was still unsatisfied with her sales performance. 

This was when she decided to take on a new strategy in convincing more people about the benefits of investments and insurance — she turned to storytelling as a more effective means of getting her message across. Instead of just presenting graphs, slideshows, and figures to her clients, she also shared with them authentic stories about families and individuals who have benefitted from insurance. 

Her favorites included the story of a housewife and mother who was able to send all her children to good schools despite the unexpected demise of her husband. She also loved sharing the story of her grandmother, who was able to leave a substantial legacy for all her grandchildren — in fact, she used her share of the proceeds to purchase her first home fully. 

These stories tugged at the heartstrings of her clients and helped them realize the practical benefits of investments and insurance. 

Similar to how storytelling helped my friend get her message across to her clients more effectively, you, too, can reap the benefits of being a good storyteller and leader. 

Here are some pointers:

1. Establish a Clear Goal

A good story needs these: 

• a hook
• a clear message
• good flow
• an intriguing point of conflict or catalyst
• a protagonist (to whom they can relate to)
• challenges
• a climax
• a resolution
• a lesson to be learned or vital information to be absorbed

Your story should also be attention-grabbing, relevant, and relatable so your audience will want to stay and hear your story to the end. 

2. Get To Know Your Team

To be a compelling storyteller, always consider your audience’s needs, interests, and personalities — not your own. Craft your stories to pique your audience’s interest, keep them glued to their seats, and make them want to hear more. 

These can be pretty challenging to do in the workplace because your stories revolve around facts and figures (typically boring subject matters for compelling stories, if you ask me), but your ability to stir up your audience’s emotions will set you apart from the rest. 

Remember, you must make maximum impact to leave a lasting impression. 

3. Be Authentic

Be as genuine and sincere as you can be while telling your story. Here are some tips:

• Maintain eye contact
• Use gestures and facial expressions 
• Vary your tone to emphasize specific points
• Use descriptive and sensory words
• Show enthusiasm
• Add a dash of humor, if appropriate
• Engage your audience (ask questions and encourage them to share their insights)

Consider sharing personal anecdotes to help demonstrate your messages more effectively, lighten the mood, and elicit your audience’s partiality. You can even exhibit a dose of humility by talking about your shortcomings or failures relating to the topic being discussed. 

Final Thoughts

A poor storyteller can instantly kill a great idea, while a good one can influence this same idea to grow, thrive, and develop into something big. Storytelling may come naturally to some, while it must be learned and practiced for others.

If you’re keen on developing your storytelling skills for leadership development, we at Sancus Leadership can help! Book us a free leadership call right away so we can start helping you find your leadership stories, match these with your intentions, and share with you some helpful storytelling techniques that can strategically direct your career.