Time to Make Space for Story Sharing

I was talking to a friend the other day when I realized how many people I know have changed jobs during the pandemic and have still not met their boss or teams in-person. Their entire onboarding experience has taken place virtually, if at all. Then I realized how many people I know who have gone through a major life change during the pandemic— moved, new baby, experienced a loss, racial inequity and/or racial awakening, marriage, divorce, embraced a new talent or passion. You get the idea.

Any ONE of these could change a person — many have experienced more than one. So it got me thinking…how does the work I do help with the current situation? 

We all share stories in our personal lives and know how powerful they can be when it comes to relating, connecting and supporting others. When I skill up leaders in Business Storytelling, I’m helping them find and construct PERSONAL stories to communicate their BUSINESS messages more effectively. And, after nearly 16 months, this is certainly a moment when EVERYONE has new personal stories to share. 

But just because you have a story doesn’t mean you are able to deliver it so the message is clear, relatable and memorable. Or that you have a framework for creating an endless supply of stories that drive home your professional messages. We’ve got workshops to guarantee that. 

I’m writing this now to urge you to consider what you can do to create an environment where leaders can learn how to make their communication more succinct and more effective. What else can you do to foster a culture where everyone feels seen and heard, make extra efforts to onboard new people and make time to reconnect with all, as they have likely experienced major changes during this past year and a half. 

Picture the workplace where this is realized and how the talent pool gets super charged. In the absence of making this a priority, the opposite can occur and the only ones happy about that will be your competitors.