10 different types of stories to tell as a leader and some tips on how to craft them.
The importance of crafting narratives for leadership contexts, particularly "broadcast meetings" where leaders communicate organizational vision to new team members, partners, or existing staff.
Ten Essential Leadership Stories
- Origin story (founding narrative)
- Case for change (urgency/vision shift)
- Future vision narrative
- Strategic execution plan
- Values and beliefs framework
- Customer focus story
- Customer success case study
- Competitive differentiation
- Leadership philosophy
- Organizational culture/recruitment narrative
Storytelling Guidelines
Recommended practices include:
- "Do open with a scene" to capture attention immediately
- Maintain narrative clarity with distinct beginning, middle, and end
- Use accessible, conversational language
- Employ vivid word choices and varied sentence structure
- Show emotional states through action rather than explicit emotional language
- Deliver with strategic pauses and committed performance
Practices to avoid:
- Excessive detail that obscures core messages
- Formal or thesaurus-heavy vocabulary
- Clichéd expressions
- Emotional declarations without supporting action
- Self-deprecating framing
Use contrast, analogies, positive self-presentation, and audience engagement techniques to maximize narrative impact.