August 1, 2024 • 32 mins
Welcome back to the Bread to Lead Podcast with your host, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs! In this exciting episode, Dr. Jake dives deep into the art of storytelling and its transformative impact on leadership. Drawing from his extensive experience with leaders across the globe, he shares actionable insights on how storytelling can unlock your leadership potential and create lasting impact.
Dr. Jake emphasizes the importance of understanding your audience, having a clear purpose, and using a simple structure to make your stories more compelling. He also highlights the emotional connections that stories can build, making your message more memorable and inspiring action within your organization.
Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting your leadership journey, this episode offers valuable lessons on how to harness the power of storytelling to influence and persuade ethically. Tune in to learn how to become the most impactful leader in your organization!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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(00:01):
What's going on change agents i'm your host dr jake taylor
jacobson i'm so proud that you came back to the bread
to lead podcast let me tell you something uh traveling all around the country
talking to leaders in hospital systems all over the country and even leaders
that are running their own businesses um in multiple nations multiple countries
i'm super excited about the the bread to lead community,
(00:24):
these change agents that we're creating with imagining leadership in a different way.
The purpose of this podcast was to unlock your leadership potential and create
lasting impact so we can explore and imagine what leadership looks like. Reimagine.
And I'm just so ecstatic. I think we topped the charts this past couple of weeks
(00:47):
at 42 top 42 business and leadership podcast in the entire country.
So here at SIPPS Healthcare Solutions, I just want to say thank you so much for believing in us.
And also, thank you for sharing the information.
But the key is not just sharing the information.
The key is you're sharing the information, having conversations about how to
(01:12):
become a much better leader in the organizations that you're serving every single
day. That's the purpose of this podcast.
I'm so, so, so super thankful that we all are sharing this information to make
the world a better place.
So all those tips, health care solutions, we specialize in serving the health
care systems all across the country and growing to all across the world.
(01:35):
The beautiful thing is that principles can be taken and utilized with any organization,
no matter what company or industry that you're in. end. So that's what we're thankful for.
So before we get started, we have to play the theme song and I'm going to be
back because listen, we're going to be talking about the power of storytelling
and leadership and we have to get right into the game. Let's go.
(01:55):
Music.
(02:32):
So last week, I think, was part two of this little series on influence and persuasion
in a way to galvanize people ethically,
not immorally within your organization to do amazing things.
And then last week we talked about the role of emotional intelligence in persuasion, self-awareness.
(02:53):
We talked about self-regulation, empathy, social skills, motivation.
We talked about all of these things and we also gave tips on how you can actually get better.
So if you have not listened to the previous podcast, please,
please, please listen to the previous podcast so that you can make sure that
you're not missing out on the game and the steps that it takes to be a great leader.
I believe that with this podcast, one episode builds on the next episode.
(03:16):
So yes, you'll be able to get value from one episode alone, but if you really
want to be able to grow, take these episodes one at a time.
Think of this like your one-on-one coaching session with a leadership coach
that literally has been exactly where you've been, built amazing organizations
and is literally trying to pull you.
If you're new to this podcast, to this pod class, as I like to call it,
(03:38):
this is not one of those typical podcasts where you're just interviewing cool
people so that you can be able to sound cool and be cool.
This is a podcast whose sole purpose is making sure that you grow as a leader.
So we're teaching, we're growing, we're laughing, I'm yelling,
I'm guiding, and I'm giving actionable tools that you can actually use and take
(03:58):
to your organizations to become the most bomb leader in the world. Because the truth is.
The highest paid position in the world is leadership. So if you can learn how
to be a great leader and lead the multitude, dive people from diverse backgrounds,
people from diverse environments, I'm telling you right now,
your life will be changed.
(04:18):
And it starts with part three of this series, which is Mastering the Art of
Storytelling for Impact.
I think it's very important that we understand the construct of mastering the
art of storytelling and why it is so impactful, especially when it comes to our human nature.
Think about it before we even get into it. Let's let's just process for a minute.
(04:42):
What good is life without songs and movies and books?
Even in scripture and some of people's holy Bibles and holy books and the Quran
and the Quran and the Torah and the Bible and all these other religious books, stories. Right.
When you think about your life and you're telling your history,
(05:05):
you're not saying, hey, at this point, I did this.
At that point, I said this. At this point, I did this. And that's my life.
No, we always want to engage people in the intricate details of the story to
make them actually see what you're seeing through the stories that you're giving.
And the problem with a lot of organizations is that the leaders or people that
are in management are telling people what to do versus giving them a visual
(05:29):
of why what they do is important.
See, the storytelling impact, it builds on what me and my business partner,
Ignacio, created, which was the quadrant, the comprehensive quadrant.
And we talk about why, what, when and how.
(05:50):
Why is something important or what what makes something important?
Excuse me. Then why is it important for the what the thing that you're doing?
And then when should I implement the thing?
And then how do I implement it in the most efficient way concurrently and consistently?
When I'm trying to galvanize my organization to do something,
I always start with the what. What skills are needed?
(06:12):
What is important for them? What commitment that is required?
Then I build and tell them why it's important. And a lot of people like to say,
hey, Dr. Jake, you're just you're just long winded. You like to talk a lot.
And, you know, a lot of people don't don't think that way. And,
you know, some people want you to get straight to the point. But guess what?
The number of people that want you to get straight to the point and can actually
(06:33):
go out there and execute without any elaborate elaboration or any context that
is given within the organization.
This is typically what you see when people don't get things done correctly.
When you when a lot of organizations say I told them what to do.
Well, if telling them what to do was easy, everybody would be a great leader.
(06:55):
So obviously there is something more about leadership than just telling somebody
what to do. We have to learn the importance of.
Context, and storytelling. It brings about a color and a vigor that makes people
want to jump through the walls for you.
So as we continue our exploration of influence and persuasion,
(07:16):
we come to one of the most powerful tools in a leader's arsenal. It's storytelling.
Human beings are wired for stories, y'all. We've been communicating and teaching
and inspiring since the dawn of language.
In fact, neuroscience research shows
that our brains are more engaged by storytelling than cold hard facts.
(07:39):
Did you know that? When we hear a story, our brains react as if we're experiencing it ourself.
We feel the emotions. We imagine the scenes. We connect with the characters.
This makes storytelling an incredible, potent tool for influence and persuasion ethically.
A well-told story can bypass our analytical defenses, connect with us on emotional
(08:03):
level, and inspire us to act and think differently.
Here's why storytelling is so effective in context of leadership and influence.
Stories make ideas memorable. That's number one. Write it down.
If you do not know about this podcast, let me just tell you this right now.
This podcast, I'm going to tell you what to write down. I told you it is a pod class.
(08:26):
So it is time to take out your notepad, take out your pen because Dr. Jake is about to go in.
If you have not taken time to go get the Bread to Lead actual book that's in
Amazon, please, please, please, almighty,
please go and get the book because this podcast is an outward expression and
deeper context based on our book, Bread to Lead.
(08:49):
So if you want to really start a conversation within your organization,
get that Bread to Lead book in there and start building those connections within your organization.
Okay, back to the context of today's show.
So we're going to give you a couple of reasons why storytelling is so effective.
One, stories make ideas memorable.
(09:10):
Information delivered as a story is more likely to be remembered than facts and figures alone.
Two, stories create emotional connections.
They engage our emotions, making the message more impactful and personally relevant.
Number three, stories illustrate complex ideas. They can simplify and clarify
(09:31):
complex concepts and making them more accessible and understandable.
Number four, stories inspire action. A compelling story can motivate people
to change their behavior or take action in ways that pure logic often can't.
Number five, stories build trust and credibility. Sharing personal stories,
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y'all, personal stories or case studies can establish your authenticity and your expertise.
And then lastly, number six, stories create a shared meaning.
They can help create a sense of shared identity or purpose within a team or
organization. Here's the craziest thing.
(10:15):
Some of the best organizations that I've built and I've been a part of building
being a corporate turnaround specialist now in health care, health care turnaround specialist.
Is when we get away from the extra preliminaries of I got to know all your kids
and grandkids and cousins for you to trust me. I mean, no, no, no, no, no.
(10:36):
Sharing stories of of being misused at work or not being valued or or your ideas
being taken or stolen and having camaraderie around those stories and building
new stories together of success.
You can build an amazing organization without ever having to share anything in your personal life.
(10:56):
Did you know that you can build an amazing organization without ever having
to show or talk about anything in your personal life?
Because I will see personally who you are in the workplace, regardless if you
show your personal life or not.
We'll talk about that maybe in another part.
(11:17):
So now the question is, how can we harness the power of storytelling in our influence efforts?
I'm gonna give you a couple of key strategies. strategies a one
you have to know your audience write that down the key
strategy one of the key strategies to harness
the power of storytelling is knowing your audience the
(11:37):
most effective stories are tailored to
the interests needs and values of your specific audience
before crafting your story consider who you're trying to influence and what
will resonate with you i love the scripture and whether you're a believer or
not it doesn't it doesn't really matter to me because i love all people but
but i am a believer in christ and everybody knows this that listens to the podcast,
(12:02):
and there's a there's a there's a scripture in the uh in the bible when jesus
was talking to his disciples okay and when he was talking to disciples he uh
the disciples were trying to um figure out why on earth,
why on earth are you using all of these parables?
(12:27):
And why are you using all of these stories to talk to these people about all of this stuff?
So, and it's actually Matthew 13, 10 and 12. If y'all were actually looking
at me right now on a podcast, yes, I am pulling out my handy dandy Bible.
If you're looking at this podcast right now. Yes, I mean, listening to it.
(12:47):
Yes, I'm pulling out my handy dandy Bible.
And then y'all need to let me know if y'all want to actually see the visuals of this podcast.
I'm trying my best to just do audio, but sometimes a little bit of animated
and a little bit of FaceTime kind of brings things to light. So Matthew 13, 10 and 12.
If you don't like this part of the story or the podcast, you can just listen.
(13:11):
So the disciples asked Jesus, why do you speak to them in parables?
And he answered he answered and
said to them to you it has been granted
to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it has
not been granted for whoever has uh for whoever has to him shall be given more
and he shall have in abundance but whoever does not have even what he has shall
(13:36):
be taken away therefore i speak to them in parables because while seeing they
do not see and while hearing,
they do not hear, nor do they understand.
So what he's saying is that the disciples, you already know what I'm talking about.
So here's a case in point. When people say, just talk to me straight,
usually people that already know what to do and what you're talking about,
(13:59):
those are the people that's like, hey, just give me the information.
Give me the information so I can go and do what I have to do. But here's the truth.
The exception is not the rule. Just because with one person,
you can tell them something quick and they go get it done because they have
the experience in that space.
They know what they're doing, so they don't need a story because they already
(14:20):
understand the importance of why they do it and they're not going to cut corners.
But when you're building an organization, when everyone is not at that level
of thinking, you can't expect for everyone that's not at that level of thinking
to just take short, quick answers and figure it out.
You have to give stories to get them to understand the value of why you're saying
(14:41):
what you're saying and getting them to do what you want them to do so it resonates with them.
So oftentimes, especially in the healthcare space, when we're talking to a lot
of our staff that's in the field and we're dealing in the central sterile processing
space when we're cleaning instruments, right?
And I can go to a person that's in that space and say, hey, listen,
you need to clean the instruments right because somebody's going to die if
(15:02):
you don't do it in their head they'll say well the odds of them dying are slim
you know there's just a little one particle if they did get an infection they'll
clean it that's no big deal like it's not like i'm not cleaning it at all i'm
just skipping a couple of steps however if i say hey listen john let me ask you this question.
If your life was on the if your grandma's life was on the line and she were
(15:28):
to get the tray that you're creating for a right now to put in this case,
to send it upstairs for the surgeon to be able to perform surgery with this
case that you're building?
Would you trust your grandmother to have surgery with the instruments that you're
preparing right now for the doctor?
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That story that being able to elaborate my point through a story to get them
to see the value of what we do.
He's going to say, you know what, Dr. Jake? No. I need to go and I need to make
sure these things are good, because if it were my grandmother,
I would make sure every step is done.
OK, well, upstairs, John, there is somebody's grandma up there that's depending
(16:10):
on you to do every single case in every single trade correctly.
Y'all see how I said the same thing versus saying, hey, John,
fix the instruments or else or fix the instruments, make sure they're prepared right.
And then don't send them upstairs unless they're ready. If you don't give context
and get them to buy into why it's important, you're never going to get people to change anything.
(16:31):
Everything now um the
second um um strategy uh
on why we need to harness the power of storytelling and influence is one after
i know my audience the second thing i must do i must have a clear purpose every
story you tell should have a clear purpose that aligns with your influence goal
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So are you trying to inspire,
teach, build trust or motivate or motivate action?
Let this person let this person purpose guide your story selection and crafting.
So after I know my audience, what's the purpose of me telling the story?
Am I just talking and sharing stories to tell them or am I trying to get them to see a specific point?
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And then after I able to decide the clear purpose, OK, I need John to understand
that upstairs someone is depending on this tray.
So whether they know him, see him or know or understand that he did the tray
or not, that tray that he is doing, the instruments that he's preparing for
that doctor to perform an 18 hour surgery is absolutely just as critical.
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As any other piece to the pie of that surgery. Other than the doctor performing
the miracle work that they do.
Y'all see that? Because I want him to understand that now I have to level with
him and know my audience and then craft my story to fit them.
So if they love sports, I need to learn a sports analogy.
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If they love their family, I need to learn a family analogy.
If they learn if they love the moon, I need to figure out a way to tell them
the same story using space analogies.
This is why being a leader is so hard, because you have to be so broad in understanding
all types of diversities of people to be able to connect with them in the ways
that they imagine to be connected with.
(18:20):
So if you don't want that responsibility as a leader, get out the hot seat,
because, yes, it takes work.
Your job as a leader is to manage, develop, grow, lead and push people to the
best that they can be for the glory and for the benefit of the organization
and the job of your position. That's your job.
So, yes, it's a hard job. Yes, you have to manage egos.
(18:42):
But having a clear purpose and understanding this and learning all different
types of ways to say the same thing is absolutely critical for your success. says.
The third thing that you have to master is to use a simple structure.
There are many storytelling structures, but one of the simplest,
most effective ways is a three-act structure.
One, I want to set up the context and introduce the challenge or the problem.
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Two, I want to describe the struggle or the journey to address the challenge.
And three, I want to share the the resolution and the lessons learned or results
achieved from handling the problem.
It's very important. That simple structure set up the context and introduce the challenge.
Hey, Hey, John, I'm trying to get him to do his instruments better.
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Hey, John, let me ask you a question.
If someone were upstairs and it would happen to be your grandmother,
your mother, your father, someone you love so deeply.
And they had to get this tray that you built. That's the context of the problem. Y'all see that?
And it gets sent upstairs and you find out that your tray is the reason why
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that there's complications for your grandmother, your mother or your father
for the rest of their life.
How would that make you feel? Man, it would make me feel sad.
Man, I will. I will be so upset at myself, man. I couldn't imagine living with myself.
So what can we do to ensure that you're the person that you love so much?
Would never have to go through that from your tray.
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I need to do this, this, this and that. Well, let me tell you something, John.
Upstairs, it is someone's love person. And it is your job to ensure that that
doctor has the best instruments in their hands so they can help save that person's
life with as limited casualties as possible.
You know what Dr. Jake you're right y'all see
this y'all see how this flow of storytelling is happening
(20:36):
now for D gotta make
it personal and authentic y'all see how we've made it personal authentic the
most the most powerful stories often come from personal experience you can share
your own challenges failures and successes hey John there was a time um when
I first came into the industry and I thought that I was just cleaning instruments because at one point.
(21:00):
They used to say that we're just glorified dishwashers with instruments.
And I took on that persona myself. And then when I found out that one of the
trays that could have possibly been mine caused an issue with an infection with
one of the people the doctors perform surgery on,
man, I could not live with myself.
(21:22):
And because of that
I made it my vow that every tray I
did I would imagine that my daughter was on that
bed or my son was
on that bed or my wife was on that bed and I promised myself I would never skip
a step and I was sure that every instrument no matter how tired I was was the
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best to my ability to be in the most perfect shape for that doctor to perform
their miracle could work in surgeries.
John, I don't want that to be you. Y'all see that? Boom, pull them in. Personal, authentic.
We use vivid details. It engages the sense with descriptive language.
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You see, we create tension in the story. A good story has elements of tension and conflict.
This creates the audience to engage in and to be interested.
The next one, we want to focus on characters. People connect with people.
Center your story around relatable characters and their experiences,
whether it's yourself. You put John in the story. You put Susan in the story. But you want to use.
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These characters and metaphors and analogies to to make complex ideas more understandable and memorable.
Isn't it funny how people can memorize movies and.
Lyrics to songs.
A whole lot faster than they can memorize things that actually can save people's lives. Why?
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Because music, movies, tell a story.
You imagine yourself there.
You imagine yourself in the place. the
song i forgot who made it but it goes slow down i
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just want to get to know you but don't
turn around because that pretty brown thing look
good to me i know i know you're like brown thing dr jake but just imagine a
song slow down i just want to get to know you and immediately your mind can
go like a woman's walking fast or a guy's walking fast and you're and you're
like oh my god slow down i just want to get to know you you're like but don't
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turn around it's a beautiful Beautiful sight I see here, but just don't slow
down, but don't slow down.
I want to walk up to it gives you that that that imagery.
That you're there.
That's important.
We want to learn how to show and not tell instead of just simply stating the
facts, show them through actions and experiences of the characters in your story,
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even if the characters in your stories are yourself.
And you want to end it with an action call of action. So, John,
what can we do to ensure that this doesn't happen?
It's very important. So we're going
to we're going to go over like a brief example of how this would look.
So I want you to imagine that you're trying to persuade your team to embrace
a new, more collaborative way of working.
(24:24):
Instead of just presenting the benefits and process, you might want to share
your story like this. A few years ago.
I was leading a project that was absolutely crucial for our company's future.
We had a talented team, a solid plan, and plenty of resources.
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But as we got deeper into the project, we started falling behind.
Tensions were rising. People were working in silos. And it felt like we were spinning our wheels.
I realized that if we didn't change something fast, we were going to fail.
So I called the team together and did something that felt risky at the time.
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I admitted that I didn't have all the answers.
I asked for their help in figuring out a better way forward.
At first, there was silence. Then slowly, people started to open up.
We spent the next few hours having
the most honest and productive conversations we've ever had as a team.
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People shared their frustrations, but also their ideas.
We started to see connections and opportunities that we'd been missing.
And from that day on, we completely changed how we worked.
We broke down silos, created cross-functional teams, and made time for regular open discussions.
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It wasn't always easy, but the energy and the creativity in our team was incredible.
Not only did we complete the projects on time, But the solution we developed
was far better than anything we initially imagined.
Our client was thrilled and our team felt a sense of pride and accomplishment like never before.
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That experience taught me the true power of collaboration. It showed me that
the best solutions often come when we put aside our egos, break down barriers
and truly work together.
And that's exactly what I'm asking us to do now with this new initiative.
I'm asking that we work together.
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Y'all see that? The story did several things.
It's personal and authentic, sharing a real challenge and vulnerability.
It illustrates the problem, the lack of collaboration and the solution in a concrete way.
It engages emotions, the tension of potential failure, the nervousness of and or taking a risk.
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And the excitement of the breakthrough is so the positive results of the change,
both tangible project success and intangible team pride.
And it links directly to the current situation in the desired action.
By using storytelling in this way, you can make your ideas more compelling,
memorable and inspiring.
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You're not just telling people what to do. You're helping them feel and understand why it matters.
Remember, becoming a master storyteller takes practice. is.
Start collecting stories from your own experiences and even from others in the
organization, from books and articles.
Look for opportunities to incorporate relevant stories into your communications
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and always be mindful of your audience and your purpose.
When used ethically and skillfully, storytelling can be one of the most powerful
tools in your influence arsenal, personal, helping you to not just inform minds,
but to touch hearts and inspire action.
Y'all, can I tell you something? And I want to be honest with you.
(28:08):
When I started to master the art of storytelling, at first, I thought it was cheeky.
I had a mentor, Tony Steven Sr., and he would always just break out into a story.
And just like the disciples with Jesus, I'm like, yo, Tony, why, why, why?
(28:32):
Tell me why ain't nothing but a heartache.
Tell me why ain't nothing but a mistake tell me why i never wanna he say that's
how i was feeling and he said the reason why i'm giving you stories is to let
(28:55):
you see the power of the context,
if i just give you the content without the context Context.
You think the content alone is needed, but the context shows you the importance of the content.
And the problem with sharing information and training is that if I only give
(29:17):
you the content of what to do and not the context of context of how,
how, why and when it's important to do it and who it affects when we don't do it.
But the content of what to do no longer matters because there's no incentive behind it.
He said, imagine if somebody told you right now, you need to leave your office
(29:39):
right now and sprint to your house. No question.
You'd be like, wow, I'm not going to do that. But they said, hey, listen.
You need to sprint from your office right now to your home. Because your house
is on fire and your family is in that house.
That context changes the trajectory of my emotions, which moves my physical action.
(30:04):
Storytelling is not cheeky. Being short winded or as they say,
I don't talk that long. I get straight to the point.
Imagine those people's organizations, the people whose organizations where the
leader just gets straight to the point, typically has higher turnaround.
There's no connectivity and there's no human connection or limited.
(30:24):
It's important to remember that these skills are not about manipulating others
or getting your way at any cost.
Rather, they're about creating alignment, inspiring action and achieving mutual beneficial outcomes.
It is your job as a leader to ensure that your team, they're getting the information
that they need and the way that they can best digest it.
(30:48):
And this is why I tell every single leader that I can.
You better shape up.
Because they need a leader. And a leader who is kind, who is patient,
who will sit there and give you as many examples as you need until you finally get it.
Because when they get it, they will remember who gave it.
(31:13):
And that's how you start to build that internal peace and become bred to lead.
I am your host, Dr. Jake Taylor Jacobs.
And I will tell you this one thing.
If you just start implementing these things and do the work,
you're going to see your organization change in ways you can't imagine.
Or you may be the person that says, hey, Dr. Jake, I'm not a leader right now.
(31:36):
You are a leader. If you have a task that the company gave you,
you're in lead in that position.
And sometimes the greatest leaders lead from bottom up before they lead from top down.
And when you understand that, this is when you'll realize an organization that
(31:58):
has a bunch of people taking accountability to be a leader of themselves first.
First, will be an organization that has the autonomy to lead the world.
I love you. And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.
See you next week on the next episode.
What's going on change agents i'm your host dr jake taylor
jacobson i'm so proud that you came back to the bread
to lead podcast let me tell you something uh traveling all around the country
talking to leaders in hospital systems all over the country and even leaders
that are running their own businesses um in multiple nations multiple countries
i'm super excited about the the bread to lead community,
(00:24):
these change agents that we're creating with imagining leadership in a different way.
The purpose of this podcast was to unlock your leadership potential and create
lasting impact so we can explore and imagine what leadership looks like. Reimagine.
And I'm just so ecstatic. I think we topped the charts this past couple of weeks
(00:47):
at 42 top 42 business and leadership podcast in the entire country.
So here at SIPPS Healthcare Solutions, I just want to say thank you so much for believing in us.
And also, thank you for sharing the information.
But the key is not just sharing the information.
The key is you're sharing the information, having conversations about how to
(01:12):
become a much better leader in the organizations that you're serving every single
day. That's the purpose of this podcast.
I'm so, so, so super thankful that we all are sharing this information to make
the world a better place.
So all those tips, health care solutions, we specialize in serving the health
care systems all across the country and growing to all across the world.
(01:35):
The beautiful thing is that principles can be taken and utilized with any organization,
no matter what company or industry that you're in. end. So that's what we're thankful for.
So before we get started, we have to play the theme song and I'm going to be
back because listen, we're going to be talking about the power of storytelling
and leadership and we have to get right into the game. Let's go.
(01:55):
Music.
(02:32):
So last week, I think, was part two of this little series on influence and persuasion
in a way to galvanize people ethically,
not immorally within your organization to do amazing things.
And then last week we talked about the role of emotional intelligence in persuasion, self-awareness.
(02:53):
We talked about self-regulation, empathy, social skills, motivation.
We talked about all of these things and we also gave tips on how you can actually get better.
So if you have not listened to the previous podcast, please,
please, please listen to the previous podcast so that you can make sure that
you're not missing out on the game and the steps that it takes to be a great leader.
I believe that with this podcast, one episode builds on the next episode.
(03:16):
So yes, you'll be able to get value from one episode alone, but if you really
want to be able to grow, take these episodes one at a time.
Think of this like your one-on-one coaching session with a leadership coach
that literally has been exactly where you've been, built amazing organizations
and is literally trying to pull you.
If you're new to this podcast, to this pod class, as I like to call it,
(03:38):
this is not one of those typical podcasts where you're just interviewing cool
people so that you can be able to sound cool and be cool.
This is a podcast whose sole purpose is making sure that you grow as a leader.
So we're teaching, we're growing, we're laughing, I'm yelling,
I'm guiding, and I'm giving actionable tools that you can actually use and take
(03:58):
to your organizations to become the most bomb leader in the world. Because the truth is.
The highest paid position in the world is leadership. So if you can learn how
to be a great leader and lead the multitude, dive people from diverse backgrounds,
people from diverse environments, I'm telling you right now,
your life will be changed.
(04:18):
And it starts with part three of this series, which is Mastering the Art of
Storytelling for Impact.
I think it's very important that we understand the construct of mastering the
art of storytelling and why it is so impactful, especially when it comes to our human nature.
Think about it before we even get into it. Let's let's just process for a minute.
(04:42):
What good is life without songs and movies and books?
Even in scripture and some of people's holy Bibles and holy books and the Quran
and the Quran and the Torah and the Bible and all these other religious books, stories. Right.
When you think about your life and you're telling your history,
(05:05):
you're not saying, hey, at this point, I did this.
At that point, I said this. At this point, I did this. And that's my life.
No, we always want to engage people in the intricate details of the story to
make them actually see what you're seeing through the stories that you're giving.
And the problem with a lot of organizations is that the leaders or people that
are in management are telling people what to do versus giving them a visual
(05:29):
of why what they do is important.
See, the storytelling impact, it builds on what me and my business partner,
Ignacio, created, which was the quadrant, the comprehensive quadrant.
And we talk about why, what, when and how.
(05:50):
Why is something important or what what makes something important?
Excuse me. Then why is it important for the what the thing that you're doing?
And then when should I implement the thing?
And then how do I implement it in the most efficient way concurrently and consistently?
When I'm trying to galvanize my organization to do something,
I always start with the what. What skills are needed?
(06:12):
What is important for them? What commitment that is required?
Then I build and tell them why it's important. And a lot of people like to say,
hey, Dr. Jake, you're just you're just long winded. You like to talk a lot.
And, you know, a lot of people don't don't think that way. And,
you know, some people want you to get straight to the point. But guess what?
The number of people that want you to get straight to the point and can actually
(06:33):
go out there and execute without any elaborate elaboration or any context that
is given within the organization.
This is typically what you see when people don't get things done correctly.
When you when a lot of organizations say I told them what to do.
Well, if telling them what to do was easy, everybody would be a great leader.
(06:55):
So obviously there is something more about leadership than just telling somebody
what to do. We have to learn the importance of.
Context, and storytelling. It brings about a color and a vigor that makes people
want to jump through the walls for you.
So as we continue our exploration of influence and persuasion,
(07:16):
we come to one of the most powerful tools in a leader's arsenal. It's storytelling.
Human beings are wired for stories, y'all. We've been communicating and teaching
and inspiring since the dawn of language.
In fact, neuroscience research shows
that our brains are more engaged by storytelling than cold hard facts.
(07:39):
Did you know that? When we hear a story, our brains react as if we're experiencing it ourself.
We feel the emotions. We imagine the scenes. We connect with the characters.
This makes storytelling an incredible, potent tool for influence and persuasion ethically.
A well-told story can bypass our analytical defenses, connect with us on emotional
(08:03):
level, and inspire us to act and think differently.
Here's why storytelling is so effective in context of leadership and influence.
Stories make ideas memorable. That's number one. Write it down.
If you do not know about this podcast, let me just tell you this right now.
This podcast, I'm going to tell you what to write down. I told you it is a pod class.
(08:26):
So it is time to take out your notepad, take out your pen because Dr. Jake is about to go in.
If you have not taken time to go get the Bread to Lead actual book that's in
Amazon, please, please, please, almighty,
please go and get the book because this podcast is an outward expression and
deeper context based on our book, Bread to Lead.
(08:49):
So if you want to really start a conversation within your organization,
get that Bread to Lead book in there and start building those connections within your organization.
Okay, back to the context of today's show.
So we're going to give you a couple of reasons why storytelling is so effective.
One, stories make ideas memorable.
(09:10):
Information delivered as a story is more likely to be remembered than facts and figures alone.
Two, stories create emotional connections.
They engage our emotions, making the message more impactful and personally relevant.
Number three, stories illustrate complex ideas. They can simplify and clarify
(09:31):
complex concepts and making them more accessible and understandable.
Number four, stories inspire action. A compelling story can motivate people
to change their behavior or take action in ways that pure logic often can't.
Number five, stories build trust and credibility. Sharing personal stories,
(09:54):
y'all, personal stories or case studies can establish your authenticity and your expertise.
And then lastly, number six, stories create a shared meaning.
They can help create a sense of shared identity or purpose within a team or
organization. Here's the craziest thing.
(10:15):
Some of the best organizations that I've built and I've been a part of building
being a corporate turnaround specialist now in health care, health care turnaround specialist.
Is when we get away from the extra preliminaries of I got to know all your kids
and grandkids and cousins for you to trust me. I mean, no, no, no, no, no.
(10:36):
Sharing stories of of being misused at work or not being valued or or your ideas
being taken or stolen and having camaraderie around those stories and building
new stories together of success.
You can build an amazing organization without ever having to share anything in your personal life.
(10:56):
Did you know that you can build an amazing organization without ever having
to show or talk about anything in your personal life?
Because I will see personally who you are in the workplace, regardless if you
show your personal life or not.
We'll talk about that maybe in another part.
(11:17):
So now the question is, how can we harness the power of storytelling in our influence efforts?
I'm gonna give you a couple of key strategies. strategies a one
you have to know your audience write that down the key
strategy one of the key strategies to harness
the power of storytelling is knowing your audience the
(11:37):
most effective stories are tailored to
the interests needs and values of your specific audience
before crafting your story consider who you're trying to influence and what
will resonate with you i love the scripture and whether you're a believer or
not it doesn't it doesn't really matter to me because i love all people but
but i am a believer in christ and everybody knows this that listens to the podcast,
(12:02):
and there's a there's a there's a scripture in the uh in the bible when jesus
was talking to his disciples okay and when he was talking to disciples he uh
the disciples were trying to um figure out why on earth,
why on earth are you using all of these parables?
(12:27):
And why are you using all of these stories to talk to these people about all of this stuff?
So, and it's actually Matthew 13, 10 and 12. If y'all were actually looking
at me right now on a podcast, yes, I am pulling out my handy dandy Bible.
If you're looking at this podcast right now. Yes, I mean, listening to it.
(12:47):
Yes, I'm pulling out my handy dandy Bible.
And then y'all need to let me know if y'all want to actually see the visuals of this podcast.
I'm trying my best to just do audio, but sometimes a little bit of animated
and a little bit of FaceTime kind of brings things to light. So Matthew 13, 10 and 12.
If you don't like this part of the story or the podcast, you can just listen.
(13:11):
So the disciples asked Jesus, why do you speak to them in parables?
And he answered he answered and
said to them to you it has been granted
to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it has
not been granted for whoever has uh for whoever has to him shall be given more
and he shall have in abundance but whoever does not have even what he has shall
(13:36):
be taken away therefore i speak to them in parables because while seeing they
do not see and while hearing,
they do not hear, nor do they understand.
So what he's saying is that the disciples, you already know what I'm talking about.
So here's a case in point. When people say, just talk to me straight,
usually people that already know what to do and what you're talking about,
(13:59):
those are the people that's like, hey, just give me the information.
Give me the information so I can go and do what I have to do. But here's the truth.
The exception is not the rule. Just because with one person,
you can tell them something quick and they go get it done because they have
the experience in that space.
They know what they're doing, so they don't need a story because they already
(14:20):
understand the importance of why they do it and they're not going to cut corners.
But when you're building an organization, when everyone is not at that level
of thinking, you can't expect for everyone that's not at that level of thinking
to just take short, quick answers and figure it out.
You have to give stories to get them to understand the value of why you're saying
(14:41):
what you're saying and getting them to do what you want them to do so it resonates with them.
So oftentimes, especially in the healthcare space, when we're talking to a lot
of our staff that's in the field and we're dealing in the central sterile processing
space when we're cleaning instruments, right?
And I can go to a person that's in that space and say, hey, listen,
you need to clean the instruments right because somebody's going to die if
(15:02):
you don't do it in their head they'll say well the odds of them dying are slim
you know there's just a little one particle if they did get an infection they'll
clean it that's no big deal like it's not like i'm not cleaning it at all i'm
just skipping a couple of steps however if i say hey listen john let me ask you this question.
If your life was on the if your grandma's life was on the line and she were
(15:28):
to get the tray that you're creating for a right now to put in this case,
to send it upstairs for the surgeon to be able to perform surgery with this
case that you're building?
Would you trust your grandmother to have surgery with the instruments that you're
preparing right now for the doctor?
(15:49):
That story that being able to elaborate my point through a story to get them
to see the value of what we do.
He's going to say, you know what, Dr. Jake? No. I need to go and I need to make
sure these things are good, because if it were my grandmother,
I would make sure every step is done.
OK, well, upstairs, John, there is somebody's grandma up there that's depending
(16:10):
on you to do every single case in every single trade correctly.
Y'all see how I said the same thing versus saying, hey, John,
fix the instruments or else or fix the instruments, make sure they're prepared right.
And then don't send them upstairs unless they're ready. If you don't give context
and get them to buy into why it's important, you're never going to get people to change anything.
(16:31):
Everything now um the
second um um strategy uh
on why we need to harness the power of storytelling and influence is one after
i know my audience the second thing i must do i must have a clear purpose every
story you tell should have a clear purpose that aligns with your influence goal
(16:52):
So are you trying to inspire,
teach, build trust or motivate or motivate action?
Let this person let this person purpose guide your story selection and crafting.
So after I know my audience, what's the purpose of me telling the story?
Am I just talking and sharing stories to tell them or am I trying to get them to see a specific point?
(17:14):
And then after I able to decide the clear purpose, OK, I need John to understand
that upstairs someone is depending on this tray.
So whether they know him, see him or know or understand that he did the tray
or not, that tray that he is doing, the instruments that he's preparing for
that doctor to perform an 18 hour surgery is absolutely just as critical.
(17:37):
As any other piece to the pie of that surgery. Other than the doctor performing
the miracle work that they do.
Y'all see that? Because I want him to understand that now I have to level with
him and know my audience and then craft my story to fit them.
So if they love sports, I need to learn a sports analogy.
(17:58):
If they love their family, I need to learn a family analogy.
If they learn if they love the moon, I need to figure out a way to tell them
the same story using space analogies.
This is why being a leader is so hard, because you have to be so broad in understanding
all types of diversities of people to be able to connect with them in the ways
that they imagine to be connected with.
(18:20):
So if you don't want that responsibility as a leader, get out the hot seat,
because, yes, it takes work.
Your job as a leader is to manage, develop, grow, lead and push people to the
best that they can be for the glory and for the benefit of the organization
and the job of your position. That's your job.
So, yes, it's a hard job. Yes, you have to manage egos.
(18:42):
But having a clear purpose and understanding this and learning all different
types of ways to say the same thing is absolutely critical for your success. says.
The third thing that you have to master is to use a simple structure.
There are many storytelling structures, but one of the simplest,
most effective ways is a three-act structure.
One, I want to set up the context and introduce the challenge or the problem.
(19:07):
Two, I want to describe the struggle or the journey to address the challenge.
And three, I want to share the the resolution and the lessons learned or results
achieved from handling the problem.
It's very important. That simple structure set up the context and introduce the challenge.
Hey, Hey, John, I'm trying to get him to do his instruments better.
(19:30):
Hey, John, let me ask you a question.
If someone were upstairs and it would happen to be your grandmother,
your mother, your father, someone you love so deeply.
And they had to get this tray that you built. That's the context of the problem. Y'all see that?
And it gets sent upstairs and you find out that your tray is the reason why
(19:55):
that there's complications for your grandmother, your mother or your father
for the rest of their life.
How would that make you feel? Man, it would make me feel sad.
Man, I will. I will be so upset at myself, man. I couldn't imagine living with myself.
So what can we do to ensure that you're the person that you love so much?
Would never have to go through that from your tray.
(20:15):
I need to do this, this, this and that. Well, let me tell you something, John.
Upstairs, it is someone's love person. And it is your job to ensure that that
doctor has the best instruments in their hands so they can help save that person's
life with as limited casualties as possible.
You know what Dr. Jake you're right y'all see
this y'all see how this flow of storytelling is happening
(20:36):
now for D gotta make
it personal and authentic y'all see how we've made it personal authentic the
most the most powerful stories often come from personal experience you can share
your own challenges failures and successes hey John there was a time um when
I first came into the industry and I thought that I was just cleaning instruments because at one point.
(21:00):
They used to say that we're just glorified dishwashers with instruments.
And I took on that persona myself. And then when I found out that one of the
trays that could have possibly been mine caused an issue with an infection with
one of the people the doctors perform surgery on,
man, I could not live with myself.
(21:22):
And because of that
I made it my vow that every tray I
did I would imagine that my daughter was on that
bed or my son was
on that bed or my wife was on that bed and I promised myself I would never skip
a step and I was sure that every instrument no matter how tired I was was the
(21:44):
best to my ability to be in the most perfect shape for that doctor to perform
their miracle could work in surgeries.
John, I don't want that to be you. Y'all see that? Boom, pull them in. Personal, authentic.
We use vivid details. It engages the sense with descriptive language.
(22:06):
You see, we create tension in the story. A good story has elements of tension and conflict.
This creates the audience to engage in and to be interested.
The next one, we want to focus on characters. People connect with people.
Center your story around relatable characters and their experiences,
whether it's yourself. You put John in the story. You put Susan in the story. But you want to use.
(22:30):
These characters and metaphors and analogies to to make complex ideas more understandable and memorable.
Isn't it funny how people can memorize movies and.
Lyrics to songs.
A whole lot faster than they can memorize things that actually can save people's lives. Why?
(22:54):
Because music, movies, tell a story.
You imagine yourself there.
You imagine yourself in the place. the
song i forgot who made it but it goes slow down i
(23:16):
just want to get to know you but don't
turn around because that pretty brown thing look
good to me i know i know you're like brown thing dr jake but just imagine a
song slow down i just want to get to know you and immediately your mind can
go like a woman's walking fast or a guy's walking fast and you're and you're
like oh my god slow down i just want to get to know you you're like but don't
(23:39):
turn around it's a beautiful Beautiful sight I see here, but just don't slow
down, but don't slow down.
I want to walk up to it gives you that that that imagery.
That you're there.
That's important.
We want to learn how to show and not tell instead of just simply stating the
facts, show them through actions and experiences of the characters in your story,
(24:01):
even if the characters in your stories are yourself.
And you want to end it with an action call of action. So, John,
what can we do to ensure that this doesn't happen?
It's very important. So we're going
to we're going to go over like a brief example of how this would look.
So I want you to imagine that you're trying to persuade your team to embrace
a new, more collaborative way of working.
(24:24):
Instead of just presenting the benefits and process, you might want to share
your story like this. A few years ago.
I was leading a project that was absolutely crucial for our company's future.
We had a talented team, a solid plan, and plenty of resources.
(24:44):
But as we got deeper into the project, we started falling behind.
Tensions were rising. People were working in silos. And it felt like we were spinning our wheels.
I realized that if we didn't change something fast, we were going to fail.
So I called the team together and did something that felt risky at the time.
(25:06):
I admitted that I didn't have all the answers.
I asked for their help in figuring out a better way forward.
At first, there was silence. Then slowly, people started to open up.
We spent the next few hours having
the most honest and productive conversations we've ever had as a team.
(25:28):
People shared their frustrations, but also their ideas.
We started to see connections and opportunities that we'd been missing.
And from that day on, we completely changed how we worked.
We broke down silos, created cross-functional teams, and made time for regular open discussions.
(25:49):
It wasn't always easy, but the energy and the creativity in our team was incredible.
Not only did we complete the projects on time, But the solution we developed
was far better than anything we initially imagined.
Our client was thrilled and our team felt a sense of pride and accomplishment like never before.
(26:15):
That experience taught me the true power of collaboration. It showed me that
the best solutions often come when we put aside our egos, break down barriers
and truly work together.
And that's exactly what I'm asking us to do now with this new initiative.
I'm asking that we work together.
(26:36):
Y'all see that? The story did several things.
It's personal and authentic, sharing a real challenge and vulnerability.
It illustrates the problem, the lack of collaboration and the solution in a concrete way.
It engages emotions, the tension of potential failure, the nervousness of and or taking a risk.
(26:59):
And the excitement of the breakthrough is so the positive results of the change,
both tangible project success and intangible team pride.
And it links directly to the current situation in the desired action.
By using storytelling in this way, you can make your ideas more compelling,
memorable and inspiring.
(27:21):
You're not just telling people what to do. You're helping them feel and understand why it matters.
Remember, becoming a master storyteller takes practice. is.
Start collecting stories from your own experiences and even from others in the
organization, from books and articles.
Look for opportunities to incorporate relevant stories into your communications
(27:43):
and always be mindful of your audience and your purpose.
When used ethically and skillfully, storytelling can be one of the most powerful
tools in your influence arsenal, personal, helping you to not just inform minds,
but to touch hearts and inspire action.
Y'all, can I tell you something? And I want to be honest with you.
(28:08):
When I started to master the art of storytelling, at first, I thought it was cheeky.
I had a mentor, Tony Steven Sr., and he would always just break out into a story.
And just like the disciples with Jesus, I'm like, yo, Tony, why, why, why?
(28:32):
Tell me why ain't nothing but a heartache.
Tell me why ain't nothing but a mistake tell me why i never wanna he say that's
how i was feeling and he said the reason why i'm giving you stories is to let
(28:55):
you see the power of the context,
if i just give you the content without the context Context.
You think the content alone is needed, but the context shows you the importance of the content.
And the problem with sharing information and training is that if I only give
(29:17):
you the content of what to do and not the context of context of how,
how, why and when it's important to do it and who it affects when we don't do it.
But the content of what to do no longer matters because there's no incentive behind it.
He said, imagine if somebody told you right now, you need to leave your office
(29:39):
right now and sprint to your house. No question.
You'd be like, wow, I'm not going to do that. But they said, hey, listen.
You need to sprint from your office right now to your home. Because your house
is on fire and your family is in that house.
That context changes the trajectory of my emotions, which moves my physical action.
(30:04):
Storytelling is not cheeky. Being short winded or as they say,
I don't talk that long. I get straight to the point.
Imagine those people's organizations, the people whose organizations where the
leader just gets straight to the point, typically has higher turnaround.
There's no connectivity and there's no human connection or limited.
(30:24):
It's important to remember that these skills are not about manipulating others
or getting your way at any cost.
Rather, they're about creating alignment, inspiring action and achieving mutual beneficial outcomes.
It is your job as a leader to ensure that your team, they're getting the information
that they need and the way that they can best digest it.
(30:48):
And this is why I tell every single leader that I can.
You better shape up.
Because they need a leader. And a leader who is kind, who is patient,
who will sit there and give you as many examples as you need until you finally get it.
Because when they get it, they will remember who gave it.
(31:13):
And that's how you start to build that internal peace and become bred to lead.
I am your host, Dr. Jake Taylor Jacobs.
And I will tell you this one thing.
If you just start implementing these things and do the work,
you're going to see your organization change in ways you can't imagine.
Or you may be the person that says, hey, Dr. Jake, I'm not a leader right now.
(31:36):
You are a leader. If you have a task that the company gave you,
you're in lead in that position.
And sometimes the greatest leaders lead from bottom up before they lead from top down.
And when you understand that, this is when you'll realize an organization that
(31:58):
has a bunch of people taking accountability to be a leader of themselves first.
First, will be an organization that has the autonomy to lead the world.
I love you. And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.
See you next week on the next episode.
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