Why leaders need to be storytellers

One leader gets up in a meeting and shares stats, projects, and charts. Another leader stands up and tells a story that highlights the company’s growth. Which presentation is more memorable and impactful? The one with a story. Researchers have found that we’reseven times more likely to remember a fact when it’s wrapped in a story.

Leaders spend much of their time communicating and building relationships. One of the most important skills you need is to be a great storyteller.

Telling a great story draws in audiences, inspires teams, and establishes your credibility as a leader. Stories are powerful for building connections and reinforcing shared values. As you share stories about your experiences and the company, you invite connection and build a sense of community. Stories don’t always have to be positive — in fact, some of the most effective stories are about failure and share authentic lessons learned.

How can leaders become great storytellers? Here are five characteristics of an effective leader storytelling.

Authentic

Authenticity is one of the most important parts of storytelling. For people to feel a real connection with your message, they need to believe it and trust you as the storyteller. Being authentic means being honest and relatable. It means not glossing over your failures but instead using them as opportunities to learn and grow. There’s no better way for a leader to share their personality with employees than through a story. Don’t be afraid to shed the perfect leader persona and add some human elements that are unique to you.

Audience-specific

Storytelling 101 is to consider who is hearing the story. You can use the same story in multiple settings, such as with employees, customers, and shareholders. But because each audience is unique and has their own experiences and motivation, you should adjust the story for each group. Customers won’t want to hear about an experience that helped you make more money, while shareholders probably aren’t as interested in the story of how you fulfill the company’s mission. If you’re unsure about the needs or motivations of your audience, ask them! Take time to talk to your people as you craft a story so you can best connect with them.

Human

Stories are an effective way to share information or examples, but don’t forget the human element. People connect to stories about people because they can feel the emotions and likely understand when they felt something similar in their own life. That doesn’t mean you can only tell personal stories; you just have to find a human to center the story on. A story about an army during World War II can grab the audience’s attention but may come across as irrelevant or not timely. Instead, focusing on the story or experience of one person or one group in the war and its implications today can create a more relatable story that people understand.

Contextualized data

Stories are great ways to illustrate data or metrics. Instead of giving people slides of numbers, add them to a story that tells the why behind the data. You don’t have to sacrifice sharing updates or stats with your audience when you tell a story. Instead, think about a story that relates to the numbers. If sales doubled last quarter, share a story of an employee or customer who benefited from the growth. If you’re expanding to a new product, share the story of the team who developed the idea. Stories allow leaders to combine people and data for maximum connection.

Action-oriented

What’s the takeaway of your story? What do you want people to do after hearing it? Stories are meant to inspire, entertain, and educate. But they should also drive action. Your employees may be encouraged to find a mentor, read a book, or talk to customers after hearing your story. Good stories entertain, but great stories inspire people to take action. For example, when Asma Pagieer shares her story about growing up in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, she encourages people to donate to her education fund. Look for actions you can tie to your stories to move your company and employees forward.

Storytelling is a crucial skill of all modern leaders. With practice, you can become a great storyteller to unite and inspire your people.