Stories help people know you, like you, trust you, and want to develop an ongoing relationship with you… because they help you create an almost instant rapport with your audience, listener or reader. Your story is an important part of who you are as a leader. It’s part of your “special sauce”: your years of experience, education, failures, triumphs, anecdotes, mishaps, insights, investment, wisdom, time, energy, effort, talent… and everything in between.

 

Stories can include:
1. your signature story, “mess-to-success” moments, detours, and successes;
2. case studies;
3. anecdotes about your colleagues / customer / clients and/or audience;
4. their successes challenges, goals, and dreams;
5. their experience of you or your company… via your vision, idea, message, product, or service;
6. relevant bits of the news / science / history / literature / popular culture / an interesting that that happened to you last week, etc.;
7. your purpose, guiding principles, and how you help make transformation and results happen.

You have important stories.

Your stories are key to what YOU offer to the world and the results that YOU bring to people’s businesses and lives. That’s valuable stuff.

When you share your story, people will take an extra moment to read your words or hear what you’re saying.

Because stories make concepts and ideas real and tangible… since they connect with people on an emotional level.

Stories reach people’s hearts as well as their minds. Stories connect the dots between the perceptual and conceptual parts of your experience.

 

It’s one thing to hear or read the word “fruit.”

 

It’s a completely different experience when you hear about or read or see an image… of a juicy red apple, in the hands of a smiling child who’s getting ready to take (another) big bite… as the juiciness is already running down her chin.

 

That’s the power of story.

 

• You can tell a story with an image or a picture, a handful of words, or even a 280 character #Tweet.
• You can tell a story through video, email, or any communication medium that connects you to the people you serve.
• You can tell a story in an instant, with a gesture, or with your smile.

I always use stories in my teaching, writing, and talks.

  • Stories are key: whether you’re teaching, coaching, selling, serving, training, speaking, or leading. Because your story will help you connect the dots… from your vision to people’s goals and dreams.
  • Stories create opportunities for people to get to know you… while positioning you as the expert, authority, or thought leader that you are. Empathy creates rapport.

 

Together, they create an emotional experience that people won’t forget.

 

• This means that folks will like you, trust you, and understand that you care about them.
• They’ll realize that you truly see who they are, what they’re facing, and what they want to achieve most.
• They’ll know that you’re the person who can help them get there. (In essence, stories are an easy way to use Robert Cialdini’s legendary principles of influence from his book, Influence).

Stories reach people’s hearts as well as their minds. So your stories create inspiration… by creating an emotional experience for your reader or listener.

Your story is your “special sauce”: your years of experience, education, failures, triumphs, anecdotes, mishaps, insights, investment, wisdom, time, energy, effort, talent… and everything in between.

Stories help you express your purpose. They give people the opportunity to see the world through your eyes. They get everyone on the same page with what’s being communicated.

 

And here’s what happens next:

 

1. You’ll be establishing the connection from their head to their heart.
2. You’ll be inspiring them to take action that’s good for them and good for you.
3. You’ll have an audience that will be hanging onto your every word… whether it’s one or 10 or 10,000 people.

(That’s why stories are good for your business.)

Stories are key for podcasts and books. So check out THE PODCAST &
BOOK ROADMAP June 17 and 18th. It’s free and you’ll love it!

The Power of Story In Leadership

 

More than any other time in history, our society and our businesses need leaders.

You’re a leader… whether you call yourself that or not. You’re a leader… whether you’re helping one person or changing the lives of millions.

 

Because leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about caring for the people you serve and creating new realities so you can help make a bigger impact.

 

If you ask most self-development experts, brain scientists, and spiritual teachers, one of the fastest and most effective ways to create new realities is through stories.

Sharing your story — and discovering other people’s stories — are key components of marketing to, communicating with, and/or leading a diverse array of people, including:

1. your prospects, customers, and clients…
2. your employees, vendors, partners…
3. managers, stockholders, co-workers, colleagues…
4. government, media, your local community, and your board of directors…
5. Basically, anyone (and everyone) that your business impacts.

When you share your story, people will take an extra moment to read your words or hear what you say. And when you listen to their stories… these same people will realize that you understand them. You’ll have an audience that will be hanging on your every word… whether it’s an audience of 1 or 10 or 10,000 people.

• Stories make ideas and concepts tangible… while making books fun to read, podcasts fun to play in the car, and speeches fun to hear.
• Stories are what help make the learning stick… so the things that you learn become part of your “muscle memory”… so they’re available to use again and again.
• They help you move your audience from inspiration… to action… to satisfaction.
• Stories are critical for being a more effective leader, communicator, and businessperson.

 

Stories don’t have to take hours and hours. You can tell a story in an instant, with a gesture, or with a smile. You can tell a story with an image, a handful of words, or a tweet.

 

You can tell a story through video, email, or any medium that connects you to the people who are important to your business.

This is so important… whether you’re teaching, coaching, selling, serving, training, speaking, or leading. Because you’re inspiring people and connecting the dots… from your vision to their goals and dreams.

You’re educating and influencing your audience to take action, so it benefits them and benefits you. That’s the power of story.

Are you an expert or thought leader? Want more leads & clients? Is it time to launch, rebrand, and/or amplify your business? Check out THE PODCAST & BOOK ROADMAP June 17 and 18th. It’s free and you’ll love it!

7 Things Happen When You Use Story

 

1. Using more story (which includes your signature story, case studies, client success profiles, and even what you learned while riding the bus yesterday, etc.) will help make your business more profitable… so you can make a bigger impact.
2. It will get people to your website, onto your list, calling you for a consultation, investing in your products and services — and telling the world about what you offer — because it’s changing their lives for the better.
3. Whether you’re sharing your story or listening to someone else’s story, you create the ongoing opportunity for people to know you, like you, trust you, and see you as an expert or authority.
4. You’ll be able to impact more lives every single day.
5. People will invest in your products or services, get behind you and your vision, and give you the opportunity to help them.
6. When you share your stories, people will understand you AND your vision. They will be inspired to follow your lead.
7. You’ll be influencing people to take action by appealing to reason, hearing their stories, and sharing yours.

 

There isn’t a social change, movement, or paradigm shift that’s ever happened… without stories.
When there are no stories, no one listens. But when there are stories, people can’t stop listening to you.

 

So..
1. Invite people into a story…that’s about you and also about them
2. Give them the right steps to take
3. Inspire them to take action

 

Logic (Alone) Never Changed The World

 

One of the most important things I learned about being a better leader and communicator is this: how to mindfully choose how you respond to people, events, circumstances, and your own thoughts.

This all started in South Africa in 2002 and then continued in 2003, when I spent a couple of months living in Cape Town.

While I was there, I learned two things (thanks to Nelson Mandela) that inspired a transformation in my business and completely shifted my life.

The first thing I learned from Mandela (affectionately known as “Madiba”) was about freedom.

It came from his example: how he responded to being locked up for 27 years in a South African prison, during apartheid.

 

The lesson: no matter what happens, you can choose to respond instead of reacting.

 

Think about it. The ways that people treat you (in the words of Yogi Bhajan) are a “reflection of the state of their relationship with themselves… rather than a statement about your value as a person.”

That’s a powerful truth.

And when you keep this truth on your radar, you immediately empower yourself.

So you’re now more capable of making a choice… from moment to moment… to respond, rather than react.

Basically, you’re influencing your own capability (and therefore yourself) to make more powerful choices, more often.

For Madiba, this wasn’t always easy.

In fact, it was probably never easy.

 

But he kept at it, because he knew that freedom starts on the inside.

 

He knew, just like we all know, that we’re chock full of knee-jerk reactions… just waiting to be unleashed. Big ones, little ones, and everything-in-between ones.

But in those beautiful moments…
… when you can choose…
… to make a conscious choice and respond…
… you are literally creating freedom inside of yourself!

Freedom from these 4 things:
1. Reaction (even if only for a moment).
2. Habit (the ones that no longer serve you).
3. The past.
4. The future.

 

Freedom is right now — in this one beautiful moment — a moment that’s filled with all the seeds of all possibility for something new, something different, something better for the world, and for yourself.

 

Like, Mandela.

27 years in prison under the apartheid regime.

Then he was elected President in 1994.

 

And The Story Continues

 

If you take even a few minutes to learn more about Madiba, you’ll see something amazing.
• One person who gave himself permission — to discover the gifts in an incredibly dark situation — so he could influence his own of life and the course of an entire country.
And this leads us to the second thing I learned from Madiba. It’s also about freedom.

 

This time, it’s freedom that’s born from forgiveness.

 

What happened under apartheid in South Africa resulted in violence and human rights abuses from all sides. No part of society escaped this.

So South Africa took a revolutionary approach to healing: truth, reconciliation, and the possibility of forgiveness on a large scale (through their Truth and Reconciliation Commission).

In a nutshell, the TRC offered public hearings where victims/survivors could share stories and possibly confront former abusers (with an opportunity for forgiveness and greater societal healing).

This powerful action (on a national level) showed me that it is possible to bring forgiveness into a larger arena.

Because when you start forgiving others, you create more freedom for yourself.

• More forgiveness = more freedom.
• More freedom = more power.
• More power = more influence.

More influence means that you and I can do even more great things in the world, and make a bigger impact, whether it’s helping one or 10 or 10,000 more people.

It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

And the only way we will get there, is together.

 

So I invite you join me June 17th and 18th for this:

THE PODCAST & BOOK ROADMAP
The Simple Way To Create A Global, Thought Leadership Masterpiece
(In Just 6-9 Months) JOIN HERE (FREE)

• Get EMPOWERED, STRATEGIC, and VISIBLE — so you can attract more leads, clients and opportunities — today, instead of losing 10 years & two(2) million dollars (at least)!
• Bust the MYTHS & MISCONCEPTIONS about podcasts, books, and video podcasts — that keep most people stuck — so you can stop losing your time, energy, money and life!
• Make a MEANINGFUL IMPACT with a book, podcast, or tv talk show that you’re proud of.

• THE PODCAST & BOOK ROADMAP is free. It’s online. You get four(4) amazing experts and you’re going to love it!

Join us June 17th & 18th!

• Gathering/networking Friday, June 16th.

• And if you can’t join live, you’ll get the recordings (and $1,579 in bonuses) with a VIP ticket.