Storytelling in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from Disney's Frozen

"Let It Go" from Disney's Frozen was not just a song—it was a transformative moment that reshaped an entire story. It took a character meant to be a villain and turned her into a misunderstood hero. What if we could do the same in moments of crisis in our lives or organizations? What if we could reframe challenges as opportunities for growth and connection through the power of storytelling?

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I have always enjoyed watching movies, particularly dramas. They transported me to different worlds and gave me a front-row seat to gripping stories. However, it was only after I started delving into storytelling that I realized the common threads that run through so many films. There is always a hero, someone ordinary yet relatable, who faces extraordinary challenges. At some point, the hero falters, often lost or overwhelmed, until a mentor, friend, or sheer inner resolve pushes them forward. The climax always unfolds in one of two ways: the villain is defeated, or the challenge is resolved. It is such a simple pattern, but it is one that resonates deeply with our humanity.

This realization changed how I viewed the stories I consumed. I began looking for the moments of crisis and, more importantly, how they were resolved. It is in these moments that storytelling is at its most powerful—not in how it begins, but in how it offers resolution and transformation.

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Carmine Gallo’s The Storyteller’s Secret identifies five types of storytellers: those who ignite our inner fire, educate, simplify, motivate, and launch movements. In times of crisis, storytellers who motivate play a vital role by encouraging perseverance, fostering resilience, and inspiring others to navigate challenges and emerge stronger.

One of the most fascinating examples of this is the story behind Disney's Frozen, shared by Gallo in the book. Initially, Elsa was written as a traditional villain inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen. Her powers were feared, and she was portrayed as a dark force in the story. But the narrative did not work—it felt hollow and lacked emotional depth.

Then, husband-and-wife songwriting duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote “Let It Go.” They imagined Elsa’s emotional release, a moment of liberation after years of hiding her true self. When the producers heard it, everything changed. Elsa was no longer a villain. She became a complex, relatable character—someone struggling to control her immense power and learning to embrace it for good.

The song transformed the movie. Scenes were rewritten, Elsa’s relationships deepened, and the themes of the movie shifted to love, self-acceptance, and resilience. “Let It Go” went on to win an Academy Award, but more importantly, it became an anthem for anyone who has ever felt the weight of hiding who they truly are. It showed how a single moment, a single story, could change everything.

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Reflections

In the middle of every challenge or crisis, personal or organizational, lies a crucial choice: to let the moment defeat us or to use it as an opportunity to rewrite the narrative. When I reflect on the common threads in the movies I grew up watching, I see that the hero’s crisis is never the end of the story. Instead, it is the turning point where growth, clarity, and transformation take shape. This pattern mirrors life’s challenges—where reframing and action can create a way forward.

For me, understanding this narrative arc shifted how I view difficult situations. Every challenge I faced became an opportunity to create a story of resilience and growth, not just for myself but for those around me. Storytelling can become a way to make sense of the chaos, to rally people, and to inspire a shared purpose. Just like the hero in the movies, the process is not linear, and resolution takes time, but the act of reframing the challenge creates momentum for progress.

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Telling a story in a crisis is like wearing special 3D lenses in a movie theater. Without the lenses, the scene is blurry and overwhelming, the pieces disconnected. But when you put the lenses on, suddenly everything comes into focus. Depth appears, details make sense, and the chaos transforms into a coherent, meaningful picture. Storytelling brings clarity to the mess of a crisis, giving us the vision and perspective to guide ourselves—and others—toward resolution and hope.