3 Reasons Smart Leaders Tell Stories – How You Can Too
“We’re all stories in the end.” Steven Moffat
Tell your story even though every human story already happened. You are the only unique thing in your story.
3 reasons smart leaders tell stories:
#1. Build a platform where people meet.
You can connect in three sentences.
“Ben’s dying.
That’s what Ben’s father says to the camera as we see Ben play in the background. Ben is two years old and doesn’t know that a brain tumor will take his life in a matter of months.” Greater Good
Every story you hear says something about the teller.
People like you when you respect their stories.
#2. Give advice without telling people how to live.
“Do not tell people how to live their lives. Just tell them stories. And they will figure out how those stories apply to them.” Randy Pausch
#3. Overcome reluctance in others.
Suppose someone belittles the value of text messages.
One leader said, “I can yell or bang on my teenage son’s door for an hour. But he’s downstairs in a minute when I send him a text.”
7 ways to harvest your stories:
- Recall places you lived.
- Reflect on painful experiences and failures.
- Remind yourself of joyful experiences and successes.
- Make a list of the significant people in your history. How is life different because of the people on your list?
- List important lessons you learned. What happened before those lessons? What was different about you after those lessons?
- Think about tipping points in your life.
- What stories are behind this sentence. “I’m so thankful for _____.” (Replace thankful with angry, excited about, or discouraged.)
Think about how life changed after you relocated, felt painful defeat, or faced fear.
Tip: Ask a new acquaintance to tell you their best story.
What story greatly impacted your life?
Dan, I am learning to love story – reading them, telling them, watching reactions, praying they make a difference. You used the term harvest. I have a donor card in my wallet, someday there is a possibility that my harvested organs will make a difference in someone’s life. My family will probably never know that person and see the difference it made. The same can be true with the stories we tell – they can make a difference and we may never know it — keep telling stories and live in a way that creates a story worth telling! — Great post Dan
Powerful. I remember when you leaned back and started a story by saying, “When we were on our way to Philadelphia.”
I use your story to illustrate the the power of story.
Dan when asked to move to Chicago from Cleveland by the firm that had acquired our company, my wise sister told me that Helen Keller said life is an adventure or it is nothing at all! We moved and best choice ever, personally and professionally.
Brad
Now you have a great story that illustrates the power of listening to advice. (And many other things.)
Yes Dan! Stories connect people. We connect with images, narratives and experiences. When we tell stories, we invite others to share also, automatically. We open the door to dialogue and learning about each other. Good stuff.
Agonizing introversion and loneliness that haunted each day of my university life many decades ago was interrupted on only a few occasions: interacting with a fellow student when we participated in Social Service at the Salvation Army Children’s Village and when I won second place in a speech contest speaking about the need for Integration in schools. Looking back, being of service to others allowed me to move out of self centeredness into meaningful activities that brought joy. Positively, Pauline