This is Penny Lane.
I just returned from a visit to hang out with my best friend in Alaska, and every Thursday, the dog walker comes to get Penny, load her up, and take her on an adventure, with whom and where she has no idea. Yet, here she is, trembling with excitement, almost more than she can handle, waiting for the door to open so she can faithfully jump onto the bus and go where she is taken.
Would it be a stretch to say that she has been thoroughly influenced? I watched with fascination, thinking about how the dog walker has developed a relationship with Penny that has resulted in 100 percent all-in energy.
As the door opened and Penny, using her fast twitch muscles, bolted out the door and into the awaiting vehicle without so much a glance over her shoulder, I reflected, as one does, on her engagement and attachment to the walker and how we might inspire the same with our audiences.
Humans aren’t as easy as their canine counterparts. Treats, car rides, and pets don’t work.
Stories do.
Here’s an example I’ve shared here before. My client (we’ll call her Judy) had butterflies in her stomach as she took the microphone during a reception for a large client event with major vendors and sponsors in attendance. It was a fundraising event, and as one does, she needed to thank the participants, sponsors, and vendors. Interrupting the vibrant conversation to do this was a tough task. She knew she needed a compelling message.
So, she started with a story.
She described how excited she was when the event committee declared the event theme to be a “tailgate party” because she was rejected, not once, but twice, from the high school cheerleading squad, and now she finally could dress as and be the cheerleader she always wanted to be. Everyone laughed. My client relaxed and went on to share her thank yous and appeal.
Afterward, several people approached her to share their own rejections in high school. Others sought her out to have a good laugh with her.
Your stories don’t need to be epic dramas of transformation or life and death. Judy’s certainly wasn’t. Stories start a conversation and give the listener something to latch onto, respond to, and pull on to discover more. People crave connection and purpose. Stories? They aren’t about stories. They are about connection.
Most teams are not truly connected despite the tools available to them in a time of hybrid and remote work. Connectivity does not equate to connection. We are so busy getting things done that messages are abbreviated into acronyms and jargon. There’s no room for story and plenty of room for misunderstanding.
A McKinsey study in 2021 sought to understand why employees were leaving in The Great Resignation. Employers reported the reason was to make more money, but employees reported it was because their manager didn’t take the time to see, listen, and understand them. They felt disengaged and wanted more. That misunderstanding alone – of the underlying cause of The Great Resignation – is a pretty big disconnect.
They want to be engaged!! People are begging to be all-in, and we as leaders can create that environment through conversations that connect, where each individual feels seen, heard, and understood.
In my storytelling workshops, I teach leaders how to achieve this. It’s not as easy as taking the dog for a walk, but it’s not as difficult as you might think.
Change-making leaders:
- Show they care about the mission or purpose of the organization.
- Take risks by expressing a point of view on something.
- Instill confidence – that they are a safe bet.
- Have a positive mindset – shift negative or challenging situations into opportunities.
- Are curious and open-minded: Listen to ideas and opinions of others, challenging their assumptions.
- Show up true to who they are and in turn, accept others as they are.
These are the stories change-making leaders tell. And this is the power of story, coming out this summer. (I know I said this spring, and I keep working on it like a house renovation. It will never be done. I will give up my pursuit of perfection soon, and I promise it will be this summer.)
“The planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane and these qualities have little to do with success as we have defined it.”
– David W. Orr in the foreword to Your Story is Your Power
When we lead with story, relationships follow, and everything gets better.
Take care out there.
SOME WAYS I MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU AND YOUR TEAM:
LEAD YOUR WAY: This mentoring/coaching program is designed to help you step into your leadership and show up as your best self so you can communicate to connect and amplify your impact.
COMMUNICATE TO CONNECT: In my storytelling workshops, I teach leaders of all capabilities how to engage authentically with their teams, community, and stakeholders to create meaningful connections that build trust, increase team engagement and lead to better fundraising and revenue generation.
Did you have something else in mind? Let’s talk and see how I might be able to help. Contact me and we’ll schedule a chat.
Stay in touch.
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