The art of storytelling, a crucial skill for future leaders
Since 2020, in collaboration with Marc Le Menestrel , I have had the privilege of offering a course on storytelling to INSEAD students. If some students approach this subject driven by utilitarian motivations, considering that a good storyteller is able to present their ideas in a convincing way, the course leads them well beyond this instrumental objective. Indeed, by practicing the art of storytelling, they learn to highlight the deep meanings of complex experiences and share them with others to inspire, motivate, persuade, and build authentic connections to generate a positive impact within their organizations. These are all crucial skills for the leaders of tomorrow.
Towards an open and human leadership style
Corporate leadership has been theorized and practiced in a stable and predictable industrial environment for decades. For managers, the priority was clear: to maximize profits for the benefit of shareholders, while neglecting the wider consequences of their decisions. But things have changed. The climate crisis, emerging societal aspirations, geopolitical risks, technological breakthroughs, and economic globalization are creating a changing, interdependent, uncertain, and complex world. In these turbulent times, how should leaders behave? What does leadership look like when disruption becomes the norm?
In recent years, new organizational approaches have emerged in response to these profound changes. Some companies have sought to develop more inclusive and sustainable strategies, to implement open and collaborative working methods in order to release the collective energies and capacities of employees. Using collaborative networks, building self-managing teams, and embracing fast work cycles are some of the levers used to focus on creating value and impact for all parties. stakeholders and society as a whole.
These new forms of organization require a different style of leadership. Leaders must no longer simply receive and give instructions according to a strict vertical hierarchy. They must now focus on larger goals than just financial benefits, empowering and guiding self-reliant teams, while fostering cooperation across traditional organizational boundaries. This approach emphasizes trust, respect, and compassion. It requires abandoning the old posture of power linked to status to adopt an attitude of openness that allows the establishment of human links at all levels of the organization and beyond.
This new current of leadership, infused with humanity and openness, is based on two essential capacities:
• The ability to express with courage and clarity the direction the company is taking and the objectives it seeks to achieve, to inspire and motivate employees.
• The ability to present oneself as an individual, to reveal one's values, convictions, hopes and fears, in order to create authentic human relationships.
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Storytelling is a crucial skill
But if there is an activity that can inspire, influence, and connect with others in a profound way, it is the art of storytelling. This is why, in my opinion, it has become a crucial skill for the leaders of the world of tomorrow.
Captivating and engaging communication: Storytelling captivates an audience like no other form of communication. By telling stories, leaders can engage their listeners' emotions, imaginations, and attention. Stories have the power to make ideas complex, relevant, and memorable, allowing leaders to effectively convey their vision, values, and goals.
Building authentic connections: In the art of storytelling, vulnerability is strength, because emotions are our common denominator. As a leader, sharing your own experiences, doubts and successes creates a sense of authenticity, builds trust, and builds meaningful relationships with team members and stakeholders.
Inspire and motivate others: Stories have the ability to inspire and motivate people to go beyond and project themselves together. They create a shared sense of purpose and allow team members to see the big picture which leads to increased motivation and engagement.
Influencing and persuading: Storytelling is a powerful tool for driving change. We can illustrate the impact of ideas, initiatives, or strategies through stories. Stories enable critical thinking and overcoming resistance or skepticism. Crafting compelling stories facilitates the adoption of new perspectives, risk-taking, and buy-in.
Preservation of organizational culture: Stories play a vital role in preserving and transmitting organizational culture. As a leader, sharing stories about an organization's history, values, and accomplishments helps build a sense of identity and belonging. It allows employees to reconnect with the purpose, values, and traditions of the organization, fostering a positive and cohesive work environment.
Enhance learning: Storytelling is an effective learning tool. We use stories to convey lessons, knowledge, and wisdom from experience. Stories make facts and information more memorable and accessible, inspiring continuous learning within the organization.
Ultimately, storytelling is much more than a form of entertainment; it is a powerful leadership skill that can inspire, influence and connect with others. By mastering the art of storytelling, future leaders can engage their audience, make authentic connections, inspire action, influence change, preserve organizational culture, and energize learning. Learning to tell (better) stories (well) can unleash the potential of new leaders and generate a positive impact in their organizations and beyond.
G.F