Inspiring Storytelling: Unlock your Best Leadership and Organizational Potential

If you are a business leader, church leader, or any leader, stay with me on this one. This starts a little gloomy. It picks up as we go. In all types of leadership, storytelling is a necessary and powerful element. Introducing storytelling in your organization is one of the most transformational acts you can do in your organization. 

In my apparent desire for self-punishment and literary appreciation, I am reading the books Night by Elie Wiesel AND the single-volume version of The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. When finished, I thought about reading through Ordinary Men. Considering the topic, I will instead finish up the bio on Teddy Roosevelt. Let me say, living through the 30s and 40s could not have been super comfortable. Between Hilter’s Germany and Stalin’s Russia, MILLIONS of people perished at the hands of men. And those numbers exclude the number that died in the war.

In The Gulag Archipelago, the writer laments that not enough people, globally, heard the story of what happened in Russia. As I read this book, I get the impression he feels like he is screaming on a rooftop while the wind is whipping his words away. Today, the book is in wide circulation, much more so than then, but still not a widespread and well-known book. We know about the Nazi invasions and the Holocaust in far greater detail than some of the horrifically tragic details of Stalin’s Russia. It is hard to fathom some of the atrocities humans bestowed on other humans. 

These events are harder to swallow as we read about the details. If we say X million people perished, that alone is troubling. Yet, when we read about the lady on the train in Night screaming through a dark, night train ride about the “fires,” we visualize it better and feel it more. When the writer of The Gulag Archipelago describes being arrested without cause and going from free to imprisoned, we feel his anguish. Reading that Nazis used toddlers as target practice in concentration camps should make anyone wince. Stories connect us in a deeper way than simple data does. Without stories carrying on from generation to generation, we lose sight of what happened, why it happened, and how it happened. I think a great asset to tyranny is good, ordinary men and women who refuse to say anything or refuse to tell the story. And so, history repeats itself. 

Experts understand this better than I do. On the surface, one could argue that young people quiet or do not listen to older people. Or the older folks do not have it in them to tell the stories they need to tell. Either way, stories too often stay in the souls of those that live them. Then the young experience pain, trial, and they also gain experiences…and then turn old. The cycle repeats. History repeats. But is it that simple? 

Our ancient ancestors used stories around fires. According to Carmine Gallo, in the book, The Storyteller’s Secret, “Social anthropologists believe storytelling made up 80 percent of the fireside conversations of our ancient ancestors.” Other ancient civilizations used hieroglyphics to share information from generation to generation. Indigenous peoples have long maintained a connection with their history and way of life through storytelling, music, dance, and other cultural activities. Storytelling is a method of survival. Over time, humans connected to the past, good or bad, through stories. We dare not repeat the mistakes of our past. And we explore the wonders of our heroes of old and tap into what is possible. Our methods have adapted from fireside chats and hieroglyphics to a variety of new ways to communicate today. We now use humor, props, and technology to spark interest and keep attention.

Why are we so impacted by stories?  In part, a great story releases a rush of chemicals like cortisol, oxytocin, and dopamine. The stories we love create interest, optimism, and hope as these chemicals flood our systems with good vibes. Conversely, bad stories, well, they can do the opposite. The truth is, there are some things our brains do not want to process. And the reason is our biology. Our brains naturally avoid the bad stuff. Instead, we want the good stuff. Humans are biologically connected to storytelling.

So why do we miss it so much in business? After all, business is a subset of society. In Deloitte’s 2020 Millennial Survey, respondents confirmed what many think. Team members today seek meaning and purpose in their work. Nearly three-quarters of survey respondents said that the pandemic in the last year made them more sympathetic towards other’s needs. Workers want to take actions that have a positive impact. Almost 50% of the group survey went so far as to say that, as a society, we are becoming less civil. Anecdotally, I wonder if there is a correlation between the decrease in civility and the uptick in social media use as well as the degradation of media credibility.

Another interesting takeaway from this study is the perception of responsibility and trust. The respondents trust businesses (and organizations) more than they trust individual leaders, politicians, and pastors. Interesting. One theory is that leaders in all segments fail to connect on a deeper level through storytelling.

Donald Miller’s book, Building a Story Brand, is all about this idea. How do leaders build effective and impactful storytelling into our businesses? He argues that every story needs a hero. And that hero is the customer. Another take is that our stories should convey stakeholder capitalism rather than shareholder capitalism. Same sort of concept. We would be wise to include our team members (or employees) in the stakeholder conversation, especially from a storytelling perspective. With our physiological wiring, most people – audiences, investors, customers, employees – are less interested in data as they are the story. Not your story, necessarily, but their story. That is, how does the story you are telling impact their story?

If you are looking for proof of concept, is that not what some of the most successful entrepreneurs and leaders do? They effectively use stories to connect people to their vision, mission, and purpose. Steve Jobs told stories of how Apple makes lives better today. Elon Musk tells stories of how we can make our future better tomorrow. Richard Branson holds competitions for entrepreneurs where the winners are often the best storytellers. Oprah Winfrey is a mastermind in storytelling. Her fans all feel uniquely connected and part of her message. Jesus used short stories and parables to simplify the complexity of salvation. Jobs, Musk, and Branson, in various ways, shared that the greatest storytellers are the most powerful people in the world. 

The art and necessity of storytelling might sound a little philosophical. Or soft. Interestingly, more than a few world-class leaders and entrepreneurs have philosophy and art in their backgrounds. Heck, even the great Marcus Aurelius is considered one of the greatest philosophers and stoics from history.

Yet, even with all the evidence surrounding the power of storytelling, as you incorporate storytelling, some resist. What those short-sighted advisers fail to see is that stories make sense of empirical data. Do not be discouraged by that resistance. It’s normal. Ironically, some of the loudest naysayers secretly dig it all the most. My black lab is like that. He acts tough. But his tail betrays him. I like how one writer put it, “Data can persuade people, but it does not inspire them to act. To do that, you need to wrap your vision in a story that fires the imagination and stirs the soul.” I recommend reading the full article, https://hbr.org/2014/03/the-irresistible-power-of-storytelling-as-a-strategic-business-tool if you get a moment. When a good story and accurate data collide, it is like a nuclear yield of passion, inspiration, and motivation. 

Nothing should stop you from incorporating storytelling into your organization, your brand, or your culture. We have more technology and opportunity than ever before to share powerful stories that connect our stakeholders at a deeper level. People desire it on a molecular level. The author, Donald Miller asks a good question: “Whose soul are you stirring today?” 

We have all navigated a fascinating year. These are not the most trying times in history by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, all things being relative, the events of this year have challenged us. The stories of our past help us gain wisdom to deal with our adversities today. Now is a perfect opportunity for leaders to inspire change and action. Today is a great day to share a story of hope. Leaders can transform businesses, organizations, and yes, even political affiliates through powerful, motivating, and inspiring stories. 

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 🙂 Leave no doubt, my friends.