Mentoring through storytelling

Leaders' own 'aha' moments can be powerful teaching tools if we share them in a ‘struggle to solution’ format.

Communicating well is not only an intellectual exercise. To really connect with people, especially their emotions, we need to bring them into our experience. Stories do that. When you paint a picture with your words, people put themselves in that picture.

As a leader, the right story can be a gold mine. Story creates a spark that ignites a new awareness. It is such an influential tool that, if you use it constructively, it can change people’s hearts and minds. That is why Janet Litherland said, “Stories have power. They delight, enchant, touch, teach, recall, inspire, motivate, challenge. They help us understand. They imprint a picture on our minds. Consequently, stories often pack more punch than sermons. Want to make a point or raise an issue? Tell a story.”

One of the most underrated skills in business today and one of the most effective tools in the leader’s toolbox is storytelling.

So how do we do it?

 

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