We must become effective storytellers in order to become effective leaders.
We all want to make an impact with our work.
We want to influence decision-makers, prove our value, and change the world for the better. It isn’t enough to work hard or have the best ideas. In order to make an impact, we have to connect emotionally with customers, stakeholders, and people in positions of authority. We have to build relationships and inspire people into action. Connecting with people in a powerful, intentional way is a skill that can be learned, and it is the key to high-performance leadership.
What is Impact Coaching?
Impact Coaching is based on three elements:
Authenticity
Human beings are incredibly sophisticated bullshit detectors. If you pretend to care, if you try to be someone you’re not, if you offer up counterfeit connection, it will have the opposite of the desired effect. The approach always starts with authenticity. After all, if you don’t authentically care about getting this work done, why show up at all?
Vulnerability
One of the most misunderstood concepts in our work, vulnerability is not about sharing personal trauma; it’s about connecting with other people based on shared concerns. We live in an uncertain world. We dare to dream of something better. Vulnerability is what makes connection possible—and that connection allows partnership and inspires innovation.
Narrative
The search for meaning drives everything we do, and narrative is how human beings create meaning. Stories are how we make sense of data. They are the underlying code to all human behavior: in the workplace, at home, out in the world. When we weave effective storytelling into our communication, our ideas become clear, memorable, and impactful.
