Posts by Esther Choy
How Leaders Use Storytelling To Inform And Influence
The best leaders don’t spend precious time reminding people of everything they’ve accomplished. Instead, they tell stories. The best actually collect them, thoughtfully and diligently. Through stories, they convey their character and remind people of visions worth pursuing. Here’s how two of the most inspiring leaders use storytelling to inform and influence others. 1.…
Read MoreStorytelling Wins Trust During On-Campus Recruiting
Companies too often think they have most of the power in recruiting relationships– especially if their brand is a household name, or if every job posting incites an avalanche of applications. But the reality is that attracting top talent and laying the groundwork for future loyalty means dedicating your on-campus time to persuading students to…
Read MoreDon’t Start With Your Credentials. Start With This Instead.
In one of the most-viewed TED Talks of all time, Simon Sinek said all business discussions and decisions must “start with why.” Most people don’t do this, he says. “Very, very few people or organizations,” says Sinek, “know why they do what they do.” Similarly, in our careers, we know our credentials. They’re what…
Read MoreInternal Narratives: Lessons from the 2018 U.S. Open
The 2018 U.S. Open became more memorable by the minute. As Carlos Ramos and Serena Williams wrangled over the coaching violation Ramos had issued, it quickly became clear what was at stake for Williams. She believed her character had been maligned, and she felt that this was a grave injustice. Often in the workplace,…
Read MoreHow to Inspire Customer Stories
Hearing a customer’s story about an experience with a product or service can be more powerful than any marketing message a company can come up with. So when it comes to your own company, how are you encouraging customers to share their stories? In this article for Kellogg Insight, Esther explores how to design an…
Read MoreAre There Flaws in the Stories We Tell Ourselves?
The stories we tell ourselves help us understand and interpret the world. When a stranger at a networking event doesn’t smile back at us, we imagine a possible backstory. Or, when a colleague disparages an idea we think is brilliant, we try to fit their actions into a plausible narrative. When our marketing campaign exceeds…
Read MoreBeen An Underdog? Tell That Story In Your Next Presentation
Some of the world’s most successful people started out near rock-bottom. There are the stories of John Paul DeJoria sleeping in his car at the time he cofounded Paul Mitchell Systems hair care with $350 he borrowed from his mom. And there are the stories of unemployed single mom J.K. Rowling writing drafts of Harry…
Read MoreAn Easy Template for Telling Your ‘Overcoming The Monster’ Story
Industrialized countries throw out about $680 billion worth of food each year, and this waste releases the greenhouse gas methane while it rots. Many organizations, like the consumer goods company Unilever, are working to find solutions to address the “monster” of food waste. When Unilever learned that nearly 400 million pounds of pumpkins go to…
Read MoreLeadership Is Hard. Crafting Origin Stories Shouldn’t Be
There are as many stories as there are people, but the most compelling stories in business can all be boiled down to five basic plots: stories of origin, rags to riches, rebirth, overcoming the monster and quests. All of these plots are crucial for a leader’s toolkit, but perhaps the most basic and essential are…
Read MoreStorytelling Techniques To Maximize Your Summer
At the start, three months of summer sounds like an extravagant amount of time. Yet at the end of it, many of us will find ourselves asking, “Is summer really over? What have I done?” Every year, we seem to prove the saying right: “The day is long; the year is short.” Here are two…
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