Your Story and a Better Lens for Leadership

More than at any other time in history, we need leaders who care about the good of the planet and our one human family. You’re a leader, whether you call yourself that or not. You’re a leader, whether you’re helping one person or changing the lives of millions.

• You are shaping the future as well as your reality. You’re bringing your ideas, vision, story, message, product, or service to the world.
• That means that it’s critical to communicate with people in a way that educates and inspires them to take action.
• So, connect the dots from your vision to their goals and dreams. Don’t assume they’ll get it. Make the path clear.
• Do this with everyone your business touches.

Because there are myriad groups with a cornucopia of goals, challenges, fears, pains, hopes, desires, and dreams.

So, keep connecting the dots. Leave that trail of breadcrumbs.

As you've probably heard before, you can’t talk to all these people about the same things or use the same language.

1. Instead, begin with empathy. Get to know your audience and speak to them in their language about what’s most important to them.
2. Ask people to share their stories with you. Ask questions. Ask more questions. Go deep.
3. Share your story so folks can get to know, like, and trust you… while positioning you as the leader, expert, and/or thought leader you truly are.

When you take these three steps, the magic happens.

You understand them. They understand you, and you have everything you need for an authentic human connection that sets the stage for real transformation.

Because if you think about it, leadership isn’t about titles.

It’s about caring for the people you serve while creating new realities in business, life, and the world.

Stories create new realities.

When you share your story, people will take an extra moment to read or hear your words. And when you listen to their stories, these people will realize you understand and care about them.

Because stories make ideas and concepts tangible while making books fun to read, podcasts fun to listen to, and speeches fun to hear. They help make the learning stick, so the things people discover become part of their muscle memory.

And what’s super cool is that stories don’t have to take hours. You can tell a story instantly with a gesture or with a smile. You can tell a story with an image, a handful of words, or a tweet. You can tell a story through video, email, or any medium that connects you to the people you serve.

This is important whether you’re teaching, coaching, selling, serving, training, speaking, or leading. Because you’re inspiring people. You’re connecting the dots from your vision to their goals and dreams. You’re educating and influencing people to make choices and take action that’s good for them, good for you, and good for the world.

That’s the power of story.

There isn’t a social change, movement, or paradigm shift that’s ever happened without stories.

When there are no stories, no one stays around to listen (or read or watch). But when you share your story, people can’t stop listening to you.

Here Are 7 Things That Happen When You Use Story

1. Stories help people visit your website, join your list, schedule a consultation, invest in your products and services—and tell the world about what you offer—because it’s changing their business and life for the better.
2. Stories will help make your business more profitable so you can make a bigger impact. People will remember you because of the stories you share.
3. You’ll be influencing people to take action by appealing to reason and emotion.
4. When you discover and listen to someone’s story, you create an ongoing opportunity for them to know, like, and trust you.
5. People are inspired to follow your lead because they understand your vision.
6. Although our world is chock full of different languages, cultures, and businesses, stories help us realize all the things that we have in common (one human family).
7. You’ll impact more lives every single day!

Whether you’re an executive, entrepreneur, speaker, small business owner, solopreneur, coach, trainer, consultant, or other visionary committed to making a positive change in the world, you are a leader.

And when you share your stories, people can’t stop listening to you!

Want to put this wisdom into action? Then check out this free masterclass (via LinkedIn live) with myself and Donna Kunde Tuesday, April 16th!