As leaders, we have the power to shape minds, inspire hearts, and drive change. One of the most potent tools in our leadership arsenal is storytelling. By weaving narratives that resonate with our audience, that express a point being made, or that provides new information to the listener, we can not only communicate our message effectively but also forge deeper connections and inspire action.

The Power of Storytelling
We all know that storytelling is an innate human trait, but we’ve lost confidence in our natural ability to tell those stories. From ancient campfire tales to modern-day marketing campaigns, stories have the ability to captivate, persuade, and motivate. Are you using the full power of storytelling? Or, are you letting something that happened turn off your imagination and close your mouth to your ability to tell meaningful, impactful stories—in life and/or in business.

As an entrepreneur, we look at things from a business lense that makes us question the stories we might use in creating interest, closing a deal, or inspiring our team, especially if this is a new thing for you.

Looking at the month of January to set the stage for the momentum of visibility, growth, revenue, and impact we want for the year, we rarely consider the role that stories play. We see things as a process beginning with visioning what the end of the year will look like, describing what we want to accomplish. Have you done your visioning? Did you create a vision board (on paper, or digitally)? What is the story you’ve imagined there?

We create our year-end goals to match our vision for the year. I like to call the goals my year-end milestones because goals typically have a connotation of completion.

So, to be clear, let’s examine what a business goal is. It’s defined to be a target (an endpoint) that a business or individual plans to achieve within a set time frame. Goals can be general or specific, and can be short-term or long-term, none-the-less, they are a hard stopping point. Let’s look at some:

General goals: These are high-level goals that are more aspirational or motivational. For example, a mission statement is a general goal that guides a team’s efforts. It is, however, a derived from a long-term vision.

Specific goals: These are measurable goals that are easy to track. For example, a business might set a goal to increase revenue by a certain amount, by a certain time. If achieved, the next thing is to set the next goal. If it’s not completed or achieved, it’s almost a point at which to restart.

Short-term goals: These goals are usually achieved within a few hours to as long as a year. They can be steppingstones towards larger goals. For example, a business might set a goal to increase blog traffic by 50% in three months or increase podcast downloads by 60% in six months. While the short-term can be imagined, it is implied that the goal is either achieved or not, causing the terminal end of that goal.

Long-term goals: These goals are typically achieved in over a year. For example, a business might set a goal to make a product sell in at least 40 countries in 10 years. Or, deliver a service to 500,000 individuals in 7-10 years. This would be more of a goal where an achievable end could be foreseen.

Business goals are important because they do provide direction for the organization’s efforts. They help maintain focus and prioritize tasks, measure progress, align and inspire team member’s efforts toward a common purpose and can create improvement of the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of their work. While we have been trained to look at these as goals, they are actually milestones.

Business goals, especially long-term goals are one of the two main jobs of every CEO.

One of my mentors, Rick Justus, had a few stories he would tell that were inspirational and definitely had a point. One was about the two jobs of every CEO. He was able to share the importance of the two jobs by the stories he would tell.

Job #1: Be the Architect of the Future
Sounds really cool, right? Because it is a cool responsibility of a leader of a business or organization to design the future vision of the organization. Like an architect, whether designing a beautiful ergonomically and environmentally efficient home or a mid to high-rise office building. The architect has the responsibility of designing what the end-result will look like and that to me is the better definition of the goal for business.

It is the long-term view of what a business can and will look like at the end of the long-view and everything in between (years, quarters, months, and weeks) are milestones. I’m not opposed to calling them milestone goals, but that seems to muddy the wate, making it unclear if you’ll pause into the milestones process, or if you’ll stop because you’ve reached (or missed) a goal.

At the end of the year in business, I look forward to rolling into the new year on the momentum of growth, revenue, and impact that has been established through the work that has been done during the prior year(s). Milestones are a place to pause, reflect, celebrate, refine, and redirect efforts to hit the next set of annual milestones on the journey to reach the goal. Whether it’s 10 years or at the sale of the business, the goal is reaching the end zone.

In essence, in my business blueprint masterclasses and workshops, I create years of milestone movement and with the appropriate pauses to celebrate, refine, and redirect efforts, also incorporating the fact that there are times of regeneration and self-care that get injected into the formula. As CEOs and leaders, we must create the 360 degree view of how we operate our businesses and that includes how we take care of ourselves.

When used strategically in business, storytelling can help CEOs, leaders, and influencers:


Key Qualities of a Powerful Storyteller

To become an effective storyteller, we must cultivate certain qualities:

  1. Authenticity: Be genuine and authentic in your storytelling. Share personal experiences and vulnerabilities to build trust with your audience.
  2. Empathy: Understand the needs, desires, and challenges of your audience. Tailor your stories to resonate with their emotions and experiences.
  3. Clarity: Keep your stories concise and focused. Avoid unnecessary details that can distract from your main message.
  4. Visual Imagery: Use vivid language and imagery to paint a picture in the minds of your audience.
  5. Emotional Impact: Evoke strong emotions, such as joy, sadness, anger, or hope, to create a lasting impression.


Storytelling Tactics for Leaders

Here are some practical tactics to incorporate storytelling into your leadership:

  1. Personal Narratives: Share personal stories that illustrate your values, beliefs, and experiences. These stories can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level.
  2. Customer Stories: Highlight the success stories of your customers or clients. These stories can build credibility and trust in your brand.
  3. Company Origin Story: Share the story of how your company came to be. This can help you connect with employees and customers on an emotional level.
  4. Future Vision: Paint a picture of a future that inspires and motivates. This can help rally your team and attract new customers.
  5. Moral Stories: Use timeless tales and fables to teach valuable lessons and inspire ethical behavior.


Measuring the Impact of Storytelling

To gauge the effectiveness of your storytelling efforts and see if you’re getting the results you intended, consider using the following metrics:

 

When leaders grow in mastering the art of storytelling, they can elevate their communication, inspire their teams, and drive business success. Remember, every story has the potential to make a difference. So, go ahead, share the stories in your arsenal, and let them ignite the world as you grow your business, your confidence, and your revenue!

Want to learn more about leadership, influence, and the power of storytelling? Follow VLynn Hawkins on social media and subscribe to the Vegan Visibility Productions Channel on YouTube for exclusive insights and practical tips to accelerate your business growth. Also, subscribe to the Veganpreneur Revolution™ Podcast Channel on YouTube for the interview conversations with plant-based vegan leaders, change makers, and entrepreneurs sharing about health, wisdom, and wealth to create a more compassionate and sustainable future for all!

 

 

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