Leaders As Storytellers

Written by: Tamara Kelly http://leadershipskills.org.au

This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series Dan Brown On Leadership

Great leaders inspire others with words, so wouldn’t you like people to hang on your
every word? If so, then Dan Brown has another lesson for you and your leadership—the
power of storytelling.

Why do stories work? For that answer, I want to take you back to Christmas day 2003. I
was celebrating the holidays with my family at the seaside town of Bargara, Qld. At my
age, I firmly believe that Christmas is very much for the kids, but that day I received a
present I would never forget: Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. It was a merry but
exhausting day as I played with the kids and prepared a feast for the extended family. It
was therefore no surprise that I went to bed soon after the children went to sleep. What
was surprising was the fact that I didn’t go to sleep until the early hours of the morning,
as I repeatedly told myself, “just one more chapter”.

As any presenter or comedian will tell you, the very structure of a story is engaging
because of the human tendency to want to know what happens next. When you pique
people’s interest, they are ready to hear what you have to say.

Stories are also powerful for other reasons. Mark Turner, in his book, The Literary
Mind, explains how we project our own realities into any story we read. This is why you
find yourself associating with the main character, regardless of who they are. It is also
why stories such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf are far more effective at explaining the
importance of honesty than any form of lecture.

So, if you have a clear message to convey, step back and consider how you can tell a
story that will get your message across. You could use a parable, a personal anecdote or
snippets from popular films. Integrate universal experiences into your story—situations
that are so common that everyone in your audience can relate to them. Have you ever
noticed how many novels have “out of touch, bureaucratic bosses”? That’s because it’s a
universal experience. I would be very interested in hearing about other universal
experiences that you suggest.

Leaders As Storytellers © 2010

Storytelling is so powerful that Peter Bregman, from Harvard Business School,
recommends it as a key way to change organizational culture.

If you like the idea of storytelling, give it a go. You can also combine it with
metaphorical symbolism to make an even more potent message.

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Leaders As Storytellers © 2010