One Leadership Skill You May Not Know You Need

Welcome to Friday 411, issue #162. In 4 minutes, with 1 insight and 1 action, you'll develop one of the most overlooked skills in leadership—telling a great story.

1 Insight

Your team will forget your statistics by lunch. They will remember your stories for years.

The Power of Storytelling

One of my (Dorothy's) favorite memories from my college years was a night sitting creekside in crisp October air, surrounded by the scent of fallen leaves and the glow of warm torches, listening to ghost stories. These weren't just any ghost stories. These were ghost stories told by professional storytellers, men and women who had spent a lifetime studying and perfecting their craft.

That experience was my first visit to the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, the oldest and most preeminent gathering of storytellers in the world. Even though those memories are nearly 30 years old, I never forgot its impact.

Both Garland and I come from families of amateur storytellers, people who pan for gold in a mundane trip to Walmart and walk away with a sparkling nugget of a story. We wanted to pass down this trait to our children, so what better way to expose them to the power of storytelling than to sit them at the feet of the best? After their first Festival, they insisted we go every year. Some of the stories our family has heard there are so powerful and memorable, we're still retelling them and their lessons years later.

If you need a way to make powerful and memorable points in your leadership communication, there is no better way than storytelling. Even if you don't consider yourself a natural storyteller, rest assured that storytelling is not a gift handed out at birth to a lucky few. It is a skill you can develop.

Start with these five tips to becoming a better storyteller:

1. Find Your Own Storytelling Style

Both Garland and my brother, Gordon, are compelling storytellers, and these two couldn't be more different. Garland is a man of many words—charismatic and verbose, building his stories with enthusiasm, rich description, and a touch of exaggeration when necessary. Gordon is a man of few words, precise and concise, delivering with equal parts wisdom and humor.

Though opposite in their delivery, Garland and Gordon each hit the marks of a good storyteller. They connect with the audience, capture attention, educate, entertain, and inspire.

Even so, you shouldn't tell your stories like Garland or Gordon. Use your most authentic voice and natural presence to leave lasting impressions.

2. Use Storytelling as Your Magic Spice

If you've ever cooked with nutmeg, you know a little goes a long way. Too much is overwhelming and ruins the dish.

Treat storytelling like the nutmeg of leadership communication—just a pinch is enough. If every meeting opens with a long tale from your childhood, your team will learn to check out and wait for the real agenda. Save your stories for the moments when you really need to drive home a point.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice

A story that sounds effortless has almost always been told at least a dozen times before you ever heard it.

Find a process that works for you. I like to write my stories first then rehearse them out loud. Garland is the opposite. Even if he is ultimately writing a story, he will speak it first, record an audio of himself and have it transcribed. He may read it or just listen to it over and over again.

To refine your stories, tell them in a mirror or film yourself and watch it back. You may want to share it in a safe place first, like with family and friends. See what kind of reception it receives at home before you decide to take it to work. Work your way up to telling your story to trusted critics who will offer genuine feedback and help you maximize your delivery.

4. Study Good Storytellers

Though we highly recommend it, you may never make it to the National Storytelling Festival. You don't have to. There are events all over the world that host storytellers. Even if you aren't interested in attending an event, storytellers are everywhere, including on every screen you own.

Garland falls asleep most nights watching comedians on his phone, not only for entertainment but also to study their work. At their core, comedians are storytellers. Watch how they are masters of timing, invite people into full-sensory experiences by using the right details, and deliver relatable truths and insights in a nonthreatening way.

5. Capture Your Stories

Good stories happen to good storytellers. They pay attention. Paying attention is not enough if it ends there. You need a way to recall your stories.

A crazy thing happened to you on the way to the store on Tuesday, but you may have forgotten it by Friday. Create a "second brain" to store your stories. Use something as simple as a note on your phone. Maybe you'd rather create a video file. Fill your database with not only personal stories, but also with interviews, passages from books and articles, TV and film clips.

Don't worry about how you'll use the story or what point it will drive home. For now, just file it away. Months from now, when you need a particular illustration, you'll have plenty of options in your collection to choose from.

Why Storytelling Matters to Your Leadership

As a leader, you have to communicate a lot of information. Much of it will be forgotten—facts, statistics, data, even action items.

But stories stick with people. A good story paints a picture, stirs emotions, and gets retold. Your communication won't stop with the people in the room. It will travel with them and get passed along. Well-told stories multiply the impact of your leadership.

1 Action

Open a note on your phone and capture one story from this past week while it's still fresh. That note is the beginning of your story file.