Storytelling is humanity’s oldest tool for creating connections, fostering identities, and making sense of the world.
In the GLI’s substream ‘Storytelling for Impact,’ storytelling experts David Hutchens and Michael McRay help Cohort Members to make storytelling an integral part of their leadership toolkit.
1. Storytelling connects experience. From the dawn of humanity, stories have provided not just entertainment, but a means of gathering people and sharing information. Stories offer a circumstantial bond between the storyteller and the audiences, drawing people closer.
2. Storytelling inspires belief.
Stories bring imagery to life in listeners’ minds, helping people to picture an idea and communicating the emotion needed to relate to a shared experience.
3. Storytelling teaches lessons.
Stories are useful in helping us to learn from each other’s experiences and journeys, gaining insights into the world of the storyteller.
4. Storytelling builds communities.
For as long as language has existed, stories have helped people build common networks, shared values, and vibrant communities. Storytelling helps leaders convey their unique struggles, qualities, creativity, and decision-making processes with others.
5. Storytelling boosts impact.
Without stories, facts don’t impact. Stories engage stakeholders to emotionally understand the implications of challenges and believe in the potential for impact through growth.
Who is a great storyteller in the arts? Let us know.
About Michael McRay
Michael McRay is an award-winning writer, storytelling, and conflict consultant, facilitator, and leadership coach. His work explores how storytelling can create change, make meaning, inspire action, cultivate connection, and transform division. He works with individuals, groups, and organizations to find, craft, and tell their most meaningful stories.
About David Hutchens
David Hutches has been exploring the intersection of narrative, leadership, and complex system change for over 20 years. A bestselling author, business writer, and learning designer, he creates solutions for The Coca-Cola Company, PayPal, Wal-Mart, IBM, L’Oreal, The US Olympic Committee, and others. He speaks to organizations and thousands of leaders all around the world on the topic of storytelling as an organizational capacity. As an executive speechwriter, he has developed mission-critical messages for the CEOs of The Coca-Cola Company and the global Dentsu Advertising organization.
