As a young preacher, I learned one important truth: people will forget your main points but they will remember your stories. In fact, I’ve become convinced that I could preach the same points multiple times and people wouldn’t notice — but tell the same story and it’s immediately familiar!
That’s the power of a story. Are you harnessing the power of stories?
If you are a communicator, stories are your best friend. They take your main point from grayscale to full color. Stories do more than fill space: they motivate, inspire, challenge, and create memories that become portable. A well-told story is a gift to your listeners. It allows them to say in a different time and place, “That reminds me of a story.”
If you are a leader, stories become the glue that holds a vision together. “Do you remember when …” is the beginning of a story that reminds teammates of a time when the vision came alive, was threatened, or moved forward. Good leaders are good story tellers. And here’s the good thing: you don’t have to create the stories. Many of the best stories come directly from the front lines. Your job is to gather and retell them.
If you are a mom or dad, family stories are what create a sense of belonging, a sense of rootedness. Family stories reinforce family values. While you could sit them down on the couch and lecture them about work ethic (good luck with that), a story about grandpa might serve you better.
Everyone loves a good story.
How are you using stories?