How do you inspire the next generation of leaders with storytelling?

Nurturing leadership is multi-dimensional. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. Stories catalyze development because of one key trait -- they direct the listener's attention. Of ALL the things that you need to know about leadership, a good story illuminates one aspect at a time. This increases understanding and *recall*. Think of stories as a path out of that dark forest called 'leadership.' The more stories one has to draw on, the more paths one can remember in a moment of need.

In my experience, crafting the most successful stories starts by doing the counter-intuitive. Flip the script. Don't start with the best story YOU have to tell. Ask yourself, what does my audience care about, value, or want from an interaction with me? Once you can articulate that, reflect on personal or professional experiences that relate. Connecting your story to what your audience cares about is key. Great leaders are not just great storytellers. They are great storytellers who can entertain their audience AND inspire them by putting their interests at the center.

When I got trained by an editor-in-chief back in the days, one lesson hit me: the power of style and imagery. It’s one thing to state the facts or the obvious. It’s another to draw an image with words. An example: When observing and telling about a situation, you could say “The man I had first seen at the crossroad went away,” or: “When I saw the man in the red leather jacket, he was throwing away his burning cigarette. The guy stumbled in the mid-summer heat of the city, was barely getting along. He probably was about forty but looked like sixty. Life had made its marks on his face. A sudden noise of a car distracted me. As I was focusing again, the red leather jacket was gone.” My English is poor, I know, but I hope you get the idea.

To inspire future leaders, I tell stories that they can connect with. For example, through my podcast, I talk with people who faced tough times but kept going, showing qualities like kindness and creativity. I share stories about real leaders who succeeded despite obstacles. By doing this, I encourage youngsters like me to think deeply and dream big. I also tell them that they can make their own stories by using their talents and ideas. Through storytelling, I help them feel safe to learn and grow, making sure they understand that they can be leaders too, making positive changes in the world.

If you're struggling to find your core message, perhaps it's better to find your career story. A career story is the roadmap of how you got to where you are now. If you plot your career map, you can find your leadership stories. Aside from those listed above, one of the most powerful leader stories is about a time you failed. It shows vulnerability and strength. It's admitting you're not perfect. Another is sharing a story of having a mentor, someone who helped shape you and a story of being a mentor, being able to help shape the next generation. Through these stories, you find your core values.

I often teach my students and coachees the SARI method in sharing their leadership stories. S - Situation - The who, what, when, where, why A - Action - What did you do about the situation, what actions did you take R - Result - Did you succeed or fail? I - Insight - What did you learn from this experience? What was meaningful about this experience? These questions and following this framework should be able to help you structure your leadership story.

I keep a Lessons Learned Report in mind whenever I experience something significant. I learnt the concept of an LLR during my bachelor's degree, and it has stuck on since. It comes in handy when telling a story, because it illustrates how we started out, but also what we see when looking back at the results. An LLR answers questions like: What would we do differently next time? What did we learn? What expectations weren't met? Which perspective or method has changed as a result? That's where the power lies.

This might sound silly but it makes a big difference--be aware of what you're doing with your arms. Some people are expressive story tellers and use their hands to help them. That's great! But if you're not one of those people, practice what you will do with your arms when you speak so you don't create a distraction by flapping them around or holding them stiff. Also, give yourself permission to pause, just for a moment. It will help you organize your next thoughts and built anticipation for what you will say next.

Aside from this, when delivering a story, imagine your story as a movie in your audience's eye. You want to start right in the middle of an action. Also, use an active voice when telling the story and when you change the tense to the present tense, it brings the story to life better than using the past tense. For Example: Instead of "On Dec of 2021, 2 days after Christmas, I received a call from my boss asking me to go to this furniture store in Greenbelt because we were rushing for a deadline for this overseas project." Say, "It's December 27, 2021, two days after Christmas. I'm lying on the couch, watching Netflix, when I hear my phone beep. I see a text from my boss, "Hey Anna, can you meet us at Pottery Barn in Greenbelt?"

Storytelling is a muscle like everything else. To polish your storytelling skills, try adding stories to your LinkedIn posts or presentations. You'll find that with regular practice, storytelling becomes much easier. Another way is to work with a storytelling coach (like myself) or take a storytelling course, it's fun and useful. You could listen to podcasts such as The Moth where you can hear examples of how stories are told in a remarkable way. Another way to challenge yourself is by taking part in storytelling shows like The Moth and What's Your Story Slam.

Stories connect us. They have the power or engage, inspire and connect. And most of all, the shortest distance between two people is a story.

An audience has difficulty connecting with a story they can't relate to, but relatability isn't tied solely to similarity. Use a metaphor. Share a parallel or intersecting story of someone with a background or path different than your own. Focus on the "how" and "why" as much as the "what." While everyone has different experiences and desires, we all subconsciously look for our own reflection in the characters and ideas we encounter. The broader our reach, the more connections we can make.

Story telling is a technique that has been used from time immemorial in both traditional and contemporary settings. Story telling taps on experience and gained wisdom. Best stories are those told with sincerity, honesty and truthfulness. Stories that uncovers one's vulnerability to build trust. Stories connects one with the audience especially when it deals with the familiar that people can easily connect with. The power of Story telling is the ability to laugh at our own shortcomings and failure. The passion with which the Story is told captivates listeners' imagination. The story teller as it were invites listeners into his/her inner and outer life.