Storytelling for Leaders: Ten Steps to Inspire Action
Do you remember watching the 2008 Olympics in Beijing? It was compelling television: I found myself staying up later than I normally would to watch swimming, a sport I wouldn’t normally have much interest in. NBC said its broadcast, featuring Michael Phelps’ eighth gold medal, was its most-watched Saturday show in 18 years. From 11 to 11:30 p.m., when the Americans swam in their medal-winning medley relay, 39.9 million viewers were watching, according to Nielsen Media Research.
What keeps us engaged is the drama of the competition. A drama skilfully created by the media, through the use of stories that build a more personal connection with athletes and athletes’ families. Beyond national pride, it’s the drama that makes us care who wins and who loses.
Not only do we see Michael Phelps win gold medals, we see his mother’s excitement as she leads him to victory. We hear about the difficulties of being a single mother. Her achievement is truly amazing, but she is made more compelling and memorable by the stories that are told around the competition.
Why is this relevant to leadership?
Because skillful leaders also know how to use drama or stories to connect with people in the same way. If you want an employee or colleague to change a behavior, you need to do more than just tell them to act differently. Telling them just doesn’t work. Even logical persuasive arguments that make the benefits clear are often not enough.
Personal stories grab attention in a way that instructions or logical arguments don’t. People engage with stories on an emotional level, lowering their resistance and connecting with the storyteller.
The top ten tips below will help you incorporate storytelling into your leadership repertoire, to inspire others to action.
1. Engage your audience. To influence your audience, you need to show that you understand their concerns and interests, while also giving them reasons to listen to you. One way to get their attention is to start with a provocative question. Provocative, because the subject interests them very much and the answer is not obvious.
two. Use an early story. A story will have the most impact at the beginning of your message. A good story connects with your audience on an emotional level, allowing you to engage their hearts and minds.
3. Keep track of stories. Your life experiences provide a rich tapestry of stories. They all have the right stories, but you have to capture and use them. Keep a written record of the experiences that created “aha” moments for you, either your own or the experiences of others. Refer back to your notes when you’re planning your next presentation.
Four. Select a story for each audience. Choose a topic that your audience can relate to and that is of interest to them. that is, don’t use a baseball story with a group of European businesswomen. The ideal story should capture a struggle or situation that parallels the situation your audience is facing. Remember that your goal is to get them to think and collaborate with you.
5. Be specific but don’t ramble. Provide just enough detail to engage your listener. Details make a story interesting and allow a person to relate to what you are saying. Too many details can turn a person off.
6. Be authentic. You have to be believable. The real world is messy and unpredictable and people will learn as much from adversity and failure, and potentially even more from failure than from success. Don’t limit yourself to stories with happy endings. The truth is better than a made up story that proves your point but sounds canned and contrived.
7. Deliver your message with emotion. Deliver your message frankly. Revealing your own emotion will help build connections with others. Emotion is conveyed through your words but also with gestures, expressions, and in the tone, volume, tone, and speed of your words. Think about your presentation style as well as the content of your message.
8. It involves all the senses. People think and learn differently. Some people will benefit from painting a picture with the words or diagrams. Others may learn by listening to someone talk or by reading. Some need to experience a practical demonstration of the concept.
9. Use visual aids carefully. People often rely on a slideshow with fine print text to tell their story. Although visual aids focus attention, use them sparingly. Less is more when it comes to PowerPoint slides. Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words.
10 Practice and test your stories. Storytelling is a skill that takes time to develop. Practice practice practice. Be sure to test your story on a friendly crowd before taking it out for prime time coverage.