Storytelling as an Effective Leadership Tool

Location

CSU

Student's Major

Marketing and International Business

Student's College

Business

Mentor's Name

Brenda Flannery

Mentor's Department

Management

Mentor's College

Business

Description

Telling stories can be done by anyone, no matter their age, income, or job title. In our research, we sought to understand how storytelling can be used by organizational leaders to pass along essential information, attitudes, and traditions. Stories are timeless, simple, educational, and powerful which make them an effective leadership tool. We began our research with a traditional literature review, incorporating information we gained in interviews with executives from a storytelling firm and from a Fortune 500 firm. We used the internet to get the most recent information that has yet to be published. Stories should be told in such a way that it portrays what the company believes in, as well as how people should behave. Stories need to be structured so that the listener understands their relevance and the conveyed message. Finally, leaders should always practice what they preach. It is extremely important that a leader is not hypocritical, even when telling stories. The best ingredients to any leader's story include ideas, values, emotions, and an edge. By using these ingredients, leaders can create stories to portray the future as an unfolding drama, or they can teach stories to create a teachable point of view that will lead to success.

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Storytelling as an Effective Leadership Tool

CSU

Telling stories can be done by anyone, no matter their age, income, or job title. In our research, we sought to understand how storytelling can be used by organizational leaders to pass along essential information, attitudes, and traditions. Stories are timeless, simple, educational, and powerful which make them an effective leadership tool. We began our research with a traditional literature review, incorporating information we gained in interviews with executives from a storytelling firm and from a Fortune 500 firm. We used the internet to get the most recent information that has yet to be published. Stories should be told in such a way that it portrays what the company believes in, as well as how people should behave. Stories need to be structured so that the listener understands their relevance and the conveyed message. Finally, leaders should always practice what they preach. It is extremely important that a leader is not hypocritical, even when telling stories. The best ingredients to any leader's story include ideas, values, emotions, and an edge. By using these ingredients, leaders can create stories to portray the future as an unfolding drama, or they can teach stories to create a teachable point of view that will lead to success.