Stories

Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2009

Take a look at the detail...not just the beautiful winter scene...there are patterns in nature which can be extraordinary...

Stories emerge like the newly fallen snow, on every branch...our stories can come alive...if we take the time to really hear them.

Organizational Leadership: It's All About the Story

How does an organizational mission turn into a memorable story?



A colleague, Doug Stevenson, owner of Story Theatre International, explains what we have already observed during our Curriculum Days at Leadership Thunder Bay. Leaders who can connect to their audience through their passion - and emotion - are the ones who score highest on our evaluations at the end of the day. But even more importantly, they are the ones who attract a following of great volunteers, solid fundraising and continued community support.



How do leaders pack impact into their stories? What's the secret?



I'm going to quote directly from Doug Stevenson's website at http://www.storytheatre.net/. He's a master of scripting the ultimate story.


"Emotional Eloquence is the next step in leadership development for current and high potential future leaders."


Leaders who have developed emotional eloquence speak to people’s highest aspirations, gaining emotional buy-in. Emotional eloquence includes advanced presentation skills with a uniquely different focus - authenticity and presence.



Leaders at all levels, but especially executive and director-level leaders, need to know how to inspire and motivate – to be wisdom sharers.



Many of today’s leaders have relinquished their role as motivators and wisdom sharers in favor of standing behind lecterns and reading speeches that others have written for them. They have surrendered their power. All to often, mid to high-level leaders make boring PowerPoint presentations. They report on quarterly earnings rather than painting a picture of a hopeful future. In a speech where they should be charting a bold course and inspiring people to follow their lead, they bore people and fail to connect.



Emotional eloquence is a new and integral approach to communication skills for leaders which simultaneously refers back to a simpler time when leaders spoke from their hearts and inspired their employees to follow them forward towards a better future."



On January 15th, your CAP group - each and every one of you needs to be part of the presentation in some way - has 15 minutes to relate, inspire and connect your project with the rest of the LTB class. This is a "dress rehearsal" of sorts in preparation for your graduation in June. Design - don't write - the story with emotional eloquence.



Again, quoting from Doug:

1. Emotion is the fast lane to the brain

2. Speak from your head with your heart wide open

3. Use metaphors and stories to frame your content

4. Brand your message by weaving a theme

5. Design your speech yourself

6. Go deep, not wide

7. Appeal to people’s higher aspirations and moral convictions

8. Close your speech with a message of hope



Most of all, get excited about your project and your role. Tell us about the people...the connections... the challenges. (Remember the theory about community assets? Behind every asset, there's a real person doing something important.)


Finally, about the timing: You have 15 minutes. I find this stopwatch very helpful!

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/



Again, if you need some storytelling help, just ask! Need a clue, an angle, a finale? Call, email or ask me - or an alumni - or one of the Curriculum Committee mentors - out for coffee...Don't sit there scratching your heads (or other body parts)... we're in this together:)

January 15 is all about stories: Dr. Brad's, yours...and whatever happens along the way.

- Maggie