Master the Art of Storytelling!

Jeff Bezos, Martin Luther King, and Oprah Winfrey are some of the world’s greatest leaders. They all have one trait that sets them apart: they are excellent storytellers.?

They handpick every word and communicate the message with emotion. How can you leave a mark with insightful storytelling?

Your stories can make history:

Most leaders forget that their team needs inspiration to stay highly engaged. How can you have that impact on your employees?

Consistent and inspirational storytelling is the answer. But now the question is, “How”??

We, as humans, are naturally inclined toward narratives. We love the sense of structure and purpose in the stories we consume. Not only that, but we also enjoy the emotional rollercoaster that a story takes us on.?

To inspire your audience to take action and fulfill their purpose, your story should be well crafted with a clear goal, emotional messaging, and structure. Here are the three steps:

• Define the purpose of your message.
• Listen to your audience's fears, uncertainties, and aspirations.
• Use simple and relatable words.

Define the purpose of your message.

Think about someone you admire. You follow them, read their books, and listen to their speeches. But have you ever thought, why?

Why have you chosen them among hundreds of other leaders? It's their “WHY” that’s hooking you in. It’s their bigger purpose, which aligns with your own beliefs. Every thought leader I followed and worked with had a clear understanding of their belief system. Aim to clarify your purpose in every message by answering, “What’s my belief? Why should people follow me?”

Listen to your audience’s fears, observe their uncertainties and aspirations, and ask prompting questions.

No conversation is a high alert; start by asking intentional questions:

What do they value and why??

What are they aspiring to achieve??

What do they need to become the best at what they do??

What’s holding them back??

What information or content are they looking for and at?

You might be asking yourself, “How do I listen?” or, “Whom should I ask?”

Follow your industry hashtags and survey your employees, as well as your existing customers. Their feedback, their comments to you, and the conversation they’re leading on social media platforms are an inspiration for the content you’d need to create for your own platforms. People usually look for content that builds their trust, empowers them, and helps them become better.?

Use simple and relatable words.

The world is complicated enough, and our attention span is decreasing. The same is true for your employees and potential audience.

Your role is to study and simplify the message. Jeff Bezos breaks down hard and complicated ideas. He uses simple and relatable words with one goal: educating and inspiring the audience. A Forbes writer ran Jeff Bezos' letters through Grammarly, and the results suggested, “70% of Bezos’ letters are ‘easy to read’ for most people with an eighth or ninth-grade education (13 to 15-year-olds).”

For years, I researched effective messaging, thought leaders, and best practices in order to share with you this newsletter.

The 50/50 rule I teach helps in crafting simple and effective messages. It suggests that a message must have two grounds:?

• 50% is grounded on what the audience already knows.
• 50% is based on the aspirational message, or a fear debunked, or uncertainty explained.

As a thought leader, your mission is to educate, inspire, and push your audience’s beliefs to the limit.

After all, great storytelling outcomes can be unlocked with a well-rounded content strategy that builds your credibility and maximizes your influence on your target audience.

Many of the world’s top leaders entrust us with shaping their personal brand and thought leadership online.

Do you need help in building your story and thought leadership strategy? Let’s schedule a call to walk you through our process.

My team and I look forward to supporting you throughout your leadership journey and making you a better communicator. Subscribe to my newsletter and get in touch with me TODAY!

Because every change starts with a story.