top of page

Why Storytelling is Your Best Buddy When Stakes Are High

Dawn Ziegerer




Telling a story is all fun and games, until it’s not. 


Let’s say something big is going on at work:

you have to rally a team

pitch to investors

or address a crisis


Your ability to connect with your audience is everything. 


Connect?  What does that mean?


Does it mean giving directives and orders? Blaming? Making sure people know that heads will roll if things aren’t fixed?


Probably not. 


Although, that’s how managers and leaders communicate sometimes. We speak ineffectively out of fear and anger rather than taking a beat and using the one thing that will truly make a difference.


And that one thing is empathy. Your ability to understand and share the feelings of others.


It’s not about YOUR feelings, rather, you need to focus on the feelings of your audience.


I call it emotion matching.


Is your audience feeling defeated because something failed? Share a story about a time you also felt defeated. Then, share how you moved on afterward, the lessons learned, and how you can see this issue being overcome within your team.


Stories activate emotions, and emotions drive action.


The reason we do anything is because of how we feel now or how we want to feel in the future.

Think of all the things we do (good and bad) because we want to feel better. We do things to create feelings like excitement, relaxation, and connection - otherwise, why would anyone ride a roller coaster, meditate, or enjoy a chicks’ night out?


So, if you wanna see a behavior, you’ve gotta use emotion to have the influence you want. And influence is a good thing. Think of all the folks in your life who have been influential in a positive way.

Having influence: This is when storytelling becomes your best bud.


Data and facts are essential, but they don't inspire on their own. People make decisions based on how they feel, and a well-told story taps into that. Stories make abstract concepts relatable, turning dry info into vivid experiences your audience can feel and remember.


In high-stakes moments, you can’t afford to be misunderstood. You can’t afford to say things in a way that is off-putting. 


So, when the pressure is on, use a story that evokes an emotion that will move your audience to take action. Show them you understand how they feel. 


Bottom line, stories are your best buddies at work. And if you’d like help learning how to tell good ones, please get in touch.



0 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page