Leaders Must Be Great Storytellers

Once upon a time, we drew on cave walls, danced out dramatic experiences, and we sat around campfires sharing the visions we each possessed that we wanted others to experience. At least, that’s how I imagine life in prehistoric times.??(Just go with it for now.)

In my previous article, I asked, “Which program do you think in?” and declared that it’s time that everyone challenges themselves to think more often in PowerPoint. I also proclaimed that thinking like a storyteller is one of the more important attributes that today’s leader needs to develop and that development needs to happen long before it’s time to make a presentation.

Why am I so focused on storytelling? As a leader, it’s my role to take a business from point A to point B. The?how to get to B plan?is built on a solid, clear vision that’s stuffed chock-full of metrics, analytics, sweat equity, and perhaps most importantly—the hearts, minds and souls of those who are committed to riding out the vision into the future with me. What’s my vehicle of choice? It’s not the new Maglev Train (fastest train…it hovers) or Nasa’s new Orion (honed to take humans the furthest). My vehicle is—wait for it—dim the lights [dramatic music, please] —?The Strategic Narrative.

Having the destination in mind and the vision of what it’s going to take to get “there” is just part 1, but leaders know the journey isn’t a solo flight—it’s an all-inclusive, all-hands-on-deck “together venture.” Just like in prehistoric times, we must share our vision to include others in it.?And, yes, that’s part 2: good old-fashioned storytelling.?

There’s something special about hearing stories. Most of us fondly remember story time from childhood, when we sat in a circle, wide-eyed and carefully listening to what was coming next in a plot that was unfolding with each new sentence (especially ghost stories being told around the campfire). Being engaged in the activity of listening to an unfolding story is strikingly different than simply perceiving sheer information spewed in our direction.?

I know companies often put forward their long-range plans and despite huge enthusiasm, in the absence of a story, the plan amounts to just words hanging in empty space. The team isn’t really on board in the moment (let alone awake) and the plan doesn’t leave each person with a feeling of enduring commitment and involvement. Many know the familiar Charlie Brown reference to the teacher's voice that drones on and on – waah…waah…waah…waah – as words dissolve into mere sounds—yes, this numbing communication happens frightfully too often even when critical messages are on deck and stakes are high.

And, let’s get real here—business leaders aren’t entertainers (well there may be a few, but in those rare cases, they are so bold and exceptional in their vision that they become entertaining to follow, viz., Elon Musk). The story worth telling has got to accomplish far more than eliciting laughs or tears. Business leaders must also deliver narratives that strategically organize a complex system of individuals towards a common, shared goal. The strategic narrative is quite literally a journey plan story that provides the basis upon which everyone envisions themselves as part of a system traveling in unison, self-propelling towards a shared destination that becomes known through an illustrative story.?

So, we know stories take us to a different place and have the power to engage us in a heightened way. In fact, the human mind seems uniquely wired to learn from stories. Psychologist Jerome Bruner contributed to the field of narrative research for us to appreciate the mileage that the story form affords us: stories help us learn and we are much better at remembering facts and concepts when they are embedded in a story. And, if the retention of information alone isn’t enough to underscore the importance of storytelling, the home run is that stories artfully engage us in an emotional journey, hitting the heart and spirit so that we feel moved, changed, and richer for having heard particular stories.

Beyond the story being an excellent device for driving the understanding of information and delivering the feeling of sentiments, storytelling can activate?employees as visionaries as they participate in seeing themselves as part of the story you deliver.?And, this is empowering for everyone. When you accomplish this, you are sharing not just a perspective of envisioning the future, but you have officially climbed into the hearts and minds of those you will most depend upon to move forward together.?

From a storyteller perspective, I believe that leaders must pay special attention to choosing and telling stories that are relatable at the individual level and unifying at the group level. When the?relatable?story is told, it is personally relevant to each listener and the listener connects with immediacy to both the storyteller and the message. The story also becomes?unifying?for groups of listeners when story time happens during a company-wide moment, such as at a townhall or during a quarterly business review. In these ways, the story becomes a connection tool.?

Often, companies are prone to relying on guest speakers brought in to deliver boosts of energy from outside the fence. And while the stories that new faces and unfamiliar or infamous voices share can be fresh and inspiring, they are no substitute for the mileage that can be accomplished routinely by your voice and your familiar presence as the storyteller in front of your team or in front of the company you lead. Harvesting internal stories that are most relatable and relevant coming from you and your team will be unmatched when it comes to impact and activation. In fact, the stories you tell will be triggered as future memories by your ongoing presence long after you share them.

Okay – at this point, I hope you got the big point I am making about the importance of telling stories and the need to hone your own storytelling skills. Let’s return to a specific type of story leaders need to activate when driving change, the strategic narrative.

The strategic narrative has to offer something more than riling up new sparks of energy. To get people involved in the story of your company’s destiny, they have to understand the moving parts and walk away with an understanding of the why – the when – the how – and see their unique place in your company’s story of strategically getting to point B. Plus they need to know and connect with their role and place in the story.??The successful strategic narrative appeals to the hearts and minds of your employees so that they want to be part of the story. For a strategic narrative to have meaning for each person, it has to become their story and for that to happen, they have to understand it in a personally relevant way and believe it.?

Though the strategic narrative often functions to drive behaviors into the future (again, it’s the story of how we are going to get there), it must make sense of the company’s history as well as the present state (internally and externally). It is critical that you acknowledge that the story is taking place in a?context?and everything that relates to the future has to be built from the current state with some added homage to how we got to “you are here.”

The narrative must also be delivered with respect for your audience and be inviting at every chapter. In this way, you show?compassion?for all who are exposed to your story who you wish to join in as active participants in the company journey. Along the lines of being compassionate, you must recognize and seek to understand the full range of reactions (with attending emotions) that individuals will have to the news that typically starts with self-interest (as each person asks,?how does this impact me?). This includes being able to read the room as you deliver the story and respond with empathetic acknowledgment of what you perceive in real-time.

As the storyteller, I recognize that the delivery of the story continues long after the presentation. I recognize that after the story, I will be in a constant state of issuing?cues?to guide the activation of the story’s unfolding. Undoubtedly, I will continue to lead by example and expect other company leaders to lead by example. Every action you take will serve as a cue to align and provide reference to the story as it unfolds in time. And, speaking of time, telling the strategic narrative is more of a process than a “one and done.” It is a story reference that I suggest you use to continue to stoke your vision over time.?

Lastly, this brings us to the topic of?commitment. Telling the story is just the start—bringing the story to life, retelling it (many times), rallying around and perhaps even reframing the narrative that you have crafted is where your leadership commitment to your company and your consumers is tested. Ultimately, you must believe in the strategic narrative you share. You shape your future by committing to the narratives you tell. And, keep in mind that the developing narrative will likely end up being a reconciliation between the realities of the world and the planned realization of the narrative. When this happens (and it surely will), you must continue to share those changes (and the reason why) with all the participants; otherwise, they will quickly see the storyline fade into an unrealized dream or fantasy. Ultimately, your voice as the author of your company’s path forward will demand that you lead by example. Your company’s strategic narrative will become the story of your newfound reality.?

Post Note: During the final phase of writing this article, I noticed Paul Smith's Linkedin Learnings post:?Stories Every Leader Should Tell, which could serve as a great resource for building some of these new skills.?