The historian Doris Kearns Goodwin was once asked what questions she would put to Abraham Lincoln if given the chance. “I feel like a bad historian,” she answered, “but I’d probably ask him to tell me a story.” As she herself has documented, the 16th U.S. president was not just a great political leader but also a masterful raconteur, who used stories to entertain, educate, and inspire.
5 Types of Stories Leaders Need to Tell
Focus on trust, teaching, action, vision, and values.
September 22, 2023
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Summary.
Storytelling is an important leadership skill, and executives who want to succeed should master five types of narrative: Vision stories, which inspire a shared one; values stories that model the way; action stories that spark progress and change; teaching stories that transmit knowledge and skills to others; and trust stories that help people understand, connect with, and believe in you.
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Writing Skills Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Writing Skills. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Capture your audience's attention with smarter emails, Slacks, memos, and reports.