The Art of Story and Leadership

A good story escalates. From one point to another, we follow its lead. We want to see what will happen next. We go there willingly, eagerly. Though unspoken, we enter into a marriage of sorts: I take you, the story to which I am dedicated, to have and to hold, for better or worse, so on and so forth, till the end do us part—or till you betray my faith, lose my interest, or are guilty of shoddiness. I’ve been reading A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life, not at all what I was expecting from a George Saunders book but a happy surprise that has made me think. A great story can teach us a lot about leadership. This should be fun.?

Don’t make things happen for no reason

Simple enough. There should be a reason for everything you do, especially everything you ask (or require) other people to do. Meaningless work is deflating. When someone can’t discern a useful purpose for a so-called responsibility, that’s a problem. In these cases, there is a need for better communication or a few punches of the delete button.??

Refuse to do shoddy work

There is no audience for shoddy work. Even if the audience is properly hoodwinked, shoddiness does not stand the test of time. Losing credibility is one outcome. Setting the example that doing poor work deliberately is acceptable is another. Both scenarios are ruinous.?

Take responsibility and commit?

Jocko Willink and Leif Babin popularized the idea of “extreme ownership.” The leader, like the writer, is responsible for everything. When the story is bad, even bits and pieces of it, there is one person to blame. Leadership necessitates commitment, and commitment sustains a sense of responsibility. Here lies an organic synergy, a fuel of sorts, that drives a leader forward despite inevitable obstacles and setbacks.???

Create both patterns and escalation

People love patterns. Patterns give us comfort. They ease the mind. Patterns—one might call them habits, routines, rituals—are useful and effective. Used well, they drive forward progress. When patterns become sacred cows, however, that progress plateaus into complacency. As noted in the introduction, a good leader knows when and how to escalate. Disruptions in the pattern are interesting. They pull the audience in and beg the question: what now??

Use Freytag’s Pyramid

Remember Freytag’s Pyramid from English class? Not only does it outline the structure of most stories, but it can also chart a well-executed leadership strategy. 1) Provide the necessary exposition for a foundation of understanding, 2) incite the rising action, building curiosity and enthusiasm for the unfolding narrative, 3) arrive at a discernible climax the audience can appreciate, 4) wrap up loose ends without losing interest in the falling action, and 5) communicate a thoughtful resolution where, at least for a moment, the dust has settled and the story is clear.???

It’s OK to be surprised

I used to love the improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway? For me, the best jokes surprise even the joker, after which everyone shares a good laugh. More than one author has advised writers to be surprised by their work (i.e., don’t plot out the whole story and see what happens). This is good advice for the timid leader who wants everything to be neat and peachy. One cannot achieve greatness without preparation and lots of hard work, but life-altering discoveries are beneath the surface and above the clouds, in the unexplored realms of darkness and light, the places of astonishment. Disengage autopilot. Have the courage to stray from the plan. Drop the index cards, forget the lecture, feel the heart pounding in the chest. Aren’t we all wandering around the tub looking for something to take our breath away?????????

People enter a story in one state hoping to emerge in another

People read a story in search of a transformative experience. In general, we look for things—products, services, people—that will be life-changing. Leaders who create a transformative experience will have a captive audience. Of course, this is easier said than done, and delivering on this promise requires incredible attention to detail, authenticity, an understanding of the human condition, and a certain boldness in exposing the vulnerability of that condition, the terrifying yet exhilarating truth that nothing will ever be the same again.?

Revise, revise, revise?

And when you think you’ve got the story looking pretty good, revise the heck out of it, with fresh eyes and a critical mind. There’s a line to cut, a detail to add, a word to change, a character to strengthen, a thread to weave. Revision is arduous, no doubt about it, but it’s the difference between entertainment and art. Leadership is an art. It takes patience and diligence, a willingness to turn every stone over and over with curiosity, even joy. To gloss over revision is to stay in the plastic kiddie pool on a sweltering day. It can only hold so much water, never enough to dive in and reach that cool deliverance.?

There’s more. Isn’t that invigorating? When it seems like every good idea has been had already, every great discovery worked out by some superior being who beats us to the punch, there’s always more to uncover, often right under our noses. Whether we register it or not, a good story reminds us of that. It makes us a part of that uncovering, a witness to a revelation that matters. That is the gift of a good story and a good leader alike: to feel a part of, to feel right.???