Unlocking the Power of Leadership Storytelling to Transform Your Workplace

April 10, 2023 / Esther Choy

On average, you will work about 90,000 hours over the course of your lifetime. That’s roughly a third of your life dedicated to whatever career path you chose.

There are very few things that you will even come close to spending that much time doing, and yet, many people aren’t satisfied with their jobs. This sentiment is tied to different factors, most of which are out of our control, but there are a few things that you can do to be intentional about the environment where you spend a majority of your time.

You can start by forming meaningful connections with your co-workers.

Dr. Robert Waldinger is a psychiatrist at Harvard who directs one of the longest running studies on adult development and what contributes to our health and well-being. He shared on NPR that some of the problems with worker burnout and workplace dissatisfaction can be solved by having leaders who value personal connection. Through his research, he noted that “the people who had the warmest connections with other people weren’t just happier. They stayed healthier longer, and they lived longer.”

Workplace connections produce happier, more productive employees. Leadership storytelling opens the doors to making meaningful connections.

Company culture shifts happen when we have the tools to uncover stories about ourselves and the people we spend the majority of our day with. This doesn’t just mean we relate to them, we can collaborate better, explain our shared vision together, and represent our product better. Business storytelling offers a pathway for establishing better connections, which in turn enrich our working time.

It doesn’t take much to start making these shifts either. Waldinger points out that even noticing what a co-worker chooses to put on their desk, and asking questions about it could lead to deeper connection and friendship. When leaders model this kind of interaction, the rest of the workplace will follow. “You need leaders to say being personal with each other is valuable. It matters, and it starts at the top. When that happens, the culture can shift in a company where people tend to know each other better and then care about each other.”

Equip yourself so that you can equip others.

The Certified Story Facilitator program gives you the resources to start building these key connections. If you’ve ever felt at a loss for how to engage with people you don’t know well, or you’ve struggled with making business connections, you’ll be shocked by how effortless it feels when you’re equipped with storytelling tools. When you feel confident in your business storytelling abilities, you can also draw out these stories in others. You will become the trusted person your network turns to when they want an expert in authentic communication.