After hundreds of Storytelling Events

As a business storytelling coach, keynote speaker and trainer, I’m used to moments of engagement. But the truth is — we rarely see the long-term impact of what we do.

How next gen Leadership Development really happens

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
Or how a single school visit might change a life.

Last week, a young woman approached me during a break in my fantasy writing class. One of 12 next gen writers who had beaten hundreds of entrants to win a yearlong mentorship with me and other coaches.

She hesitated, then asked: “Did you visit a school in Elgg about 15 years ago?”

I’ve done hundreds of author book readings. I said “probably yes”.

I was joking when I answered.
But what she said next left me speechless:

“I was one of the kids in the audience.
Your visit inspired me to become a writer.
𝗜’𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂.”

My readings are always popular, but I often can’t help but wonder: What sticks? Is this worth it?

Whether you’re a manager, trainer, teacher or parent:
Never underestimate the impact of showing up.
You might be planting seeds you’ll never see bloom.
Until one day… they walk back into your life.

This happened on the last day of our year-long mentorship.
We almost missed sharing this beautiful moment.

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴(er)?
Tag them. Tell them.
They might need to hear it today.

Values-in-Action Story

The above is an example of a Values-in-Action Story, which I classify as a subset of my category Virtue Story.

I personally steer away from tagging something as a “Values” story for multiple reasons.

It’s too similar to “value story”, which I recommend calling “(customer) success story” or “solution story”. (I help my clients create a common vocabulary that works for them.)

Values-in-action is an important addition. If the corporate value is enacted, you can tell a story about it.

The value above? Perhaps “showing up“.

Your corporate storytelling coach

Most corporate values are not imaginable. You can’t picture doing them. So they are not enactable. So they are never operationalised.

They don’t boost your culture.

They lose you credibility.

As your storytelling consultant and coach, I help you change that. So that leadership and sales trainings, strategy communication, change efforts, and corporate transformations get results.

Which of your corporate values or other key messages are getting lost because they are abstract, not concrete?

Let’s find and tell your story. Together.