There’s a reason only a handful of professionals rise through the ranks to top leadership positions. It’s hard work leading a company, and one that requires the courage to make tough decisions. You’ve had countless experiences that helped shape the person and the leader you are today. So why is it that every time you sit down to write about your life, the task feels nearly impossible?
Time is the biggest culprit by far. Most leaders are simply too busy to pause for personal reflection and story development. Many feel “too close to the case” and unable to shift focus away from organizational and personnel needs to talk about themselves. For these reasons and more, it’s easy to push storytelling to the backburner as nonessential. But that’s a mistake.
5 Reasons Storytelling Is Critical in Every Business
- Storytelling makes you a better leader. Taking time to reflect on your experiences will inevitably influence how you handle new challenges down the road. In that sense, developing your personal story is the straightest pathway to building a strong legacy for the future.
- Others benefit from hearing your story. When you open up about your personal tragedies and triumphs, you become more relatable to colleagues in your industry and beyond. Your employees and fellow leaders can then implement your insights in their own working lives.
- Your story will remain top of mind. Storytelling exercises keep your thoughts organized. As you’re out in the world networking, socializing, and speaking, you can quickly identify your most relevant anecdotes and share them in the moment for maximum impact.
- You will learn about (and from) the people around you. Storytelling is contagious. When you share something personal, it can inspire others to join the conversation and build on common themes.
- Your business culture will thrive. When you lead with transparency through inclusive storytelling, it creates a culture of openness where challenges—and actionable solutions—are easier to uncover.
Make Time for What Matters
These are all great reasons to share your personal story through regularly published blogs, videos, and social media posts. But the question remains: Where am I going to find the time? Time will always be the biggest challenge for busy people. That’s why some of the most successful business leaders you know work with a professional storyteller. But it’s about more than hiring someone to ghostwrite your blog or internal communications.
In contrast, a storyteller works with you to understand your goals and establish a clear tone of voice. They will create a schedule and help you stick to it, providing effective prompts that tease out the most important details to streamline your message. And ultimately, they will help you choose the best platform, frequency, and format to reach the right audiences.
Still not sure where to start? Let us take a crack at developing and sharing your unique story with the world. We’d love to hear from you.