It started with a gym. In January 2024, I was chasing my fitness goals and found myself captivated by the raw, unfiltered stories of others beating the odds to reclaim their health. What drew me in wasn’t just their triumphs but the moments of struggle; the tipping points, the setbacks, and the sheer determination to keep going. In looking back a year later, in January 2025, I can see every person working out, showing up, pushing forward, was living their own transformation story right in front of me. I wasn’t just a spectator; I became part of their story. To them, I might just be "the one who wears funny workout tees and talks too much," but even small connections add chapters to the bigger story.
Last year, as I transitioned out of one job and into another, it was one journey in my life’s story. This year as I build value props and pitch decks, I see the power of the story all around me. I was able to celebrate the power of the story in the most magical moments of my life. I traveled to Los Angeles where I had the privilege of sitting in the audience with the Opportunity Knocks team as they waited to hear if they had won the American Reality TV Award (ARTAS) for Best Feel-Good Show of the Year. The show, funded by the National Council for Financial Opportunities, features people collaborating with financial coaches to transform their financial lives. In case you missed it, it won against massive hits like Shark Tank and The Golden Bachelor.
Why did it win? Because it told a story of financial transformation. There is power in sharing a financial journey.
The writers, producers, and directors of Opportunity Knocks masterfully took audiences on the journey with these families—through moments of vulnerability, hope, and determination. Admitting there was an issue. Asking for help. Struggling through change but persisting anyway. The show didn’t just highlight steps forward; it revealed the two steps back that make us all human. Empathy, resilience, and triumph were at the heart of the storytelling, and audiences at home connected deeply because they saw themselves in those stories.
This is the power of storytelling in action. It inspires us, makes us feel seen, and invites us to join in the journey. And dare I say, makes us dream the impossible!
Storytelling is how we make sense of the world, build relationships, and influence change. It’s the thread that connects us as humans, revealing our shared struggles and triumphs. Whether it’s a heartwarming story of redemption, a courtroom drama, or the way you introduce yourself at a job interview, the stories we tell shape perceptions and drive decisions. Storytelling allows us to share who we are and for what we stand. But it’s more than just the stories we tell others—it’s also the stories we tell ourselves (assume) about others that shape our world, and sometimes, they distort it.
Not all storytelling serves us. Sometimes, the stories we project onto others—without evidence—create harm and reinforce biases. Consider these internal monologues we’ve all encountered:
- “They’re late again. They clearly don’t value my time.”
- “She got that promotion because she’s a favorite—not because she’s qualified.”
- “They over drafted their account—why can’t they just manage their money better?”
- “They are late on their auto payment again—why can’t they budget better?”
These assumptions (and others) don’t just live in our heads; they ripple outward, limiting relationships, creating barriers, and stifling growth.
In the credit union space, these stories can quietly dictate how we perceive and serve members and each other. Can we see that our colleague is late because they were helping a member? Do we see the strengths in others, even when they look different from our own? Do we see a member with a low credit score as reckless, or do we pause to consider their challenges? Do we view overdrafts as failures or as opportunities to offer tools and resources to break cycles of scarcity?
The stories we assume about others can either divide us or bring us closer. By challenging our assumptions, we move from judgment to curiosity, opening the door to trust, understanding, and connection. That shift changes how we lead, serve, and build relationships. When we rewrite the assumptions in our heads, we allow ourselves to see others fully, not as a reflection of our biases, but as complex, multidimensional people with stories of their own. #EveryoneHasAStory
In the credit union world, storytelling holds the same transformative power. Our members’ lives aren’t just transactions—they are stories waiting to be told. Stories of a single parent rebuilding their credit, a couple buying their first home, or a family creating their emergency fund for the first time. As credit unions, we are the supporting cast in these stories, helping members become the heroes of their financial journeys. When we share these stories—authentically and empathetically—we connect with hearts, not just wallets.
More importantly, storytelling reminds us of our own purpose. Every account, every loan, every educational workshop is a plot point in a larger narrative of empowerment and possibility for our members and communities. When members see themselves in the stories we tell, they’re inspired to take action, believe in change, and trust in the support of their credit union. So, let’s keep telling these stories. Let’s celebrate their hero’s journey. Let’s inspire transformation, one story at a time. Stories change lives. #TellMoreStories
Want to harness the power of storytelling in our life?
- Challenge assumptions: Cultivate curiosity
- Start meetings with an open-ended question: What’s one assumption we might be making about this situation?
- Encourage team members to reflect on biases by asking: What don’t we know? How can we find out?
- Empower members through storytelling
- Collect and share member success stories in newsletters, social media, and community events. Highlight real journeys like overcoming debt, saving for a dream home, or navigating a financial hardship. Your financial education partner should be able to help.
- Launch a “Member Spotlight” campaign, inviting members to share how their credit union helped transform their financial lives.
- Incorporate member stories into your physical and digital spaces—think wall displays, videos in branches, or testimonials on your website. Highlight diverse member stories to build emotional connections with potential members.
- Model storytelling in leadership
- As a leader, share your own stories of lessons learned, struggles, and successes to build connections and inspire trust among your team.
- Use storytelling in internal communications to connect strategy to real-world impact, showing how every role contributes to the credit union’s mission.