Story Telling for Leaders

Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2010

Have you ever heard the story about...

What do you remember about Grand Chief Stan Beardy's story at the Leadership Learning Day on November 18, 2010?

How did he bridge his message with what you, as a leader were interested in hearing?  How did he engage you for over an hour?  Did he create rapport and trust?

What really stood out about his life, his leadership journey, his values & goals & vision?  What made you think that this was going to be cool?

You witnessed a grand story teller "on the stage", an authentic representation of a skill which great leaders have mastered.

Let's begin your personal journey across that bridge...to connect to the people you are leading in a way that they imagine themselves with you .  (NB Key word is "with" you).




The Right Story at the Right Time told the Right Way

Memorable, authentic stories don't just happen. 
They are designed, scripted and rehearsed, over and over again. 
They connect to your imagination as the listener (creating a movie in your mind),
your emotional centre and
your intelligence (you are either learning or reinforcing). 

Great stories make a point.

Just telling the story is not enough.



As Doug Stevenson, originator of the Story Theatre Method says:

(1) Choose the right story  (Your story is a tool.  Choose the right tool for the right job.)
(2) Script the story (Create logical steps)
(3) Perform the story (Don't just tell it)


Take 10 minutes to view Doug in action here:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzkGKHiLNOw&feature=BF&list=UL7Hs4BiN7E9I&index=3


**********
Grand Chief Stan Beardy's Story

Grand Chief Stan Beardy, using story as his method to engage the group and outline his 12 leadership lessons, made quite the impact.  He told the story so that we too would experience what he had experienced.

He began his presentation by framing his personal context:  
his leadership rests on two pillars:
his relationship with the creator, and his relationship with the land.







His 12 Point  Leadership Message -  threaded through his life story - was:


· Your thoughts have the power to create (positive thinking = positive lives)


· Believe in yourself


· Your words have the power to create (beware negative self talk)


· Have a vision of where you want to take the people you are leading


· Change comes from your own desire to change, it’s your responsibility to change what you don’t like


· Communicate clearly, concisely, precisely (follow the Reader’s Digest version)


· Know how to persuade people


· Your appearance matters


· Your public attitude should match your private attitude (always a leader)


· Help feel that they are important - listen, relate, care


· Believe in something greater than yourself


· Everyone has problems - residential schools, taking the child out of the child -
Deal with your personal crises




More on the "How To of Storytelling"...next week!
Best!
Maggie