5 types of stories that leaders should tell

 Thu 05 Oct 2023

Develop Your Storytelling Skills

Every leader knows storytelling can be a powerful tool. But what kinds of narratives are most effective? That depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Here are three types of stories you can use—and when to use them.

(1) Trust stories humanize you as a leader. 

When you demonstrate vulnerability by sharing a personal story, others will be inspired to reciprocate, creating a virtuous circle of trust.

(2)Teaching stories allow you to simplify complex topics by providing easy-to-follow models for behavior and skills. While a trust story is built around you, a teaching story can also be an indirect narrative—using someone else’s story, a fictional one, or a parable to deliver your message. Just make sure your audience can identify and empathize with the protagonist so that they want the same thing for themselves.

(3) Action stories inspire people to do something. 

With these, you want to leave the audience thinking, “If we do this (insert your desired action here), then we will get that (the desired result).” Entrepreneurs can use action stories to launch new business ideas. Senior leaders might use them to inspire organizational change.

Storytelling is an important leadership skill, and executives who want to succeed should master five types of narrative: (a)  Vision stories, which inspire a shared one; (b) values stories that model the way; ( c ) action stories that spark progress and change;( d )  teaching stories that transmit knowledge and skills to others; and ( e ) trust stories that help people understand, connect with, and believe in you.

Storytelling is an important leadership skill. As psychologists Gordon H. Bower and Michal C. Clark of Stanford first observed in 1969, we’re 7 times more likely to remember a fact when it’s wrapped in story !! 

 Telling stories can also help with all five of the effective leadership practices that  James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner lay out in their book The Leadership Challenge: 

1) model the way, 2) inspire a shared vision, 3) challenge the process, 4) enable others to act, and 5) encourage the heart.

This tip is adapted from “5 Types of Stories Leaders Need to Tell,” by Nick Westergaard