It's October in Vegas.
I'm at a coaching retreat.
I meet a woman who has a really cool job.
She teaches leaders how to be better communicators and writers.
I'm intrigued because she runs in-person workshops.
Plus, I was on the radio for years and had been working in comm for a long time.
So I get trained, then travel the U.S. to run workshops too.
On the first day, I realize it's my dream job.
These leaders, managers, CEOs, and entrepreneurs are so interesting.
And they're great students who really engage.
They're willing to go outside of their comfort zones.
Respect.
And I get to see transformations.
People who think they're not capable of telling a good story, tell great stories.
Those who think they're too introverted to be captivating hold the attention of everyone in the room.
The stories have impact.
People feel connected.
And inspired to make a change.
I know they’ll get back to work and have a new skill and a story that’s ready to go.
Then one day, I’m chatting with a woman who’s the dean of a business school in Texas.
She asked about “that storytelling workshop” I’d been running as an independent contractor.
So I told her about it and she asked, “Can you come down and run a few here?”
Uh.
Yes.
So I created my own workshop.
I went down to Texas and ran three of them for department heads, deans, and development officers.
And it was grand.
I have to admit I love the look on someone's face when they understand something new. And I’m wowed when I see participants doing what I ask them to do, even when they think it might be a bit challenging. Or embarrassing.
And best of all, I love to see the pleasure on their faces when they hit a home run. They tell true stories and see the reactions of the folks who were listening.
People don’t fancy public speaking. Or speaking at all, especially when there’s something important at stake.
And you probably know that’s when you really need to communicate.
And storytelling is a great vehicle to do just that.
Is your team feeling overwhelmed and downhearted?
Is some big change on the horizon?
Has there been a big misunderstanding of company values?
Is there a big initiative coming up?
If the answer is “yes,” then talking about it while using a story may be the answer.
And I hope I get to help you create one someday soon. When we meet I'll tell you a story about how meeting Keith Urban relates to challenges at work.
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