You Must Be A Leadership Journalist
Stories are powerful. In fact, we connect with stories way more than fragmented ideas. Stories make things real and give us perspective. As a leader, one of our greatest forms of communicating is in story form. If you want to create a vibrant culture that is sold out to the mission of your organization you have to celebrate wins and show people how to score points. A great culture doesn’t just happen in an organization, it is only formed through hard work and stories that reinforce behaviors. If you want to be a great leader, you have to be a great storyteller.
Here are 4 ways to be a leadership journalist who is a great storyteller:
1) Always Look For A Story
A Leader Has to be a story seeker. Not just a story finder, but one who is hunting for a good story. If you wait for something to come your way, you may be waiting a long time. You have to get out there and investigate to uncover wins and opportunities. This means you have to be listening very well in order to hear a good story. You have to observe actions and behaviors to find teachable moments. You should make it a point to at least find two to three stories a week that are worth sharing. I would encourage you to have a file that is just for wins and stories, which leads me to my next point…
2) Always Write Down A Story
Do not rely on your memory. In fact, I once heard the greatest lie we tell ourselves is, “I’ll remember that.” We are all guilty of not disciplining ourselves to record things somehow someway for later use. Too many stories and wins get lost in the sea of the forgotten. Create a system to capture the things you need to share one day. Never underestimate a small win. Most journalists carry around a notepad, recorder, or have an app on their phone to file ideas down at all times; as a leader, you should do likewise. Keep a file that is titled “wins” and add to it daily. Remember, small stories of winning sometimes create the biggest impact.
3) Always Be Specific About The Details Of A Story
If you’re going to be a great leadership journalist…get the details. The more vague you are in sharing stories the less impact it has on people. We connect with stories because we get caught up in them. If there are no specifics and handles to your story people won’t be captivated. I am not saying every story has to be overly detailed or extravagant, but let people know you are watching. Notice the subtle behaviors and skills that people are displaying. Interview the person who had the win. Get their take and story behind the story. Paint the real picture of real-life stuff that connects with others.
4) Always Have A Point To Every Story And For Every Point To Have A Story
Don’t share things without helping people connect the dots back to your mission, core values, culture, expectations, etc… Every story should have a point and every point should come with a story somehow, someway. Never assume that people just get it. This is not a belittling statement, it’s just a reality that many communicators assume people get it when they don’t. You have to make sure you specifically connect the dots for people to understand what you’re saying clearly. Assume the simple is not as simple as you may think.
