You Are Always a Storyteller
Whether you feel you are more “behind the scenes” or in the public eye, you are always a storyteller, and it’s a great skill to develop for many reasons. But when imposter syndrome gets in our way, we might struggle with our stories.
For instance, I recently came across this post on LinkedIn:
Does anyone else struggle with the idea that "you're a content creator", but...not for yourself?
You edit short videos, make Canva graphics, write captions that you hope and pray won't flop but when it comes to writing content yourself you're just... stuck?
It feels like so many SMMs on LinkedIn are influencers in their own right. And I love that for them and have already learned so much from them.
But then I question, is that what I need to do for the company to be successful? Am I an authority? Or do I just know how to promote the authority?
And it feels odd to be "putting myself out there" when 10+ years ago I was coding WordPress sites and thought that was all I would ever do. (Thankfully, that has not been the case.)
But I suppose the best way to get started is to start.
So, hi, I'm Marisa Eikenberry. Digital Media & Technology Lead for The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a leadership development company. I'm a sister of Phi Mu Women's Fraternity and a very active volunteer. I read a lot of books, play a lot of video games, and my caffeine of choice is a Code Red Mountain Dew.
Anyway, here’s to awkwardly stepping into our own spotlights. 🔦 If you’re figuring that out too, let’s connect.
What surprised me about this post was it was from someone I know through their podcast. Marisa co-hosts the Long Distance Worklife podcast with Wayne Turmel. Yes, Wayne is considered the remote work expert, but Marisa has shared some great insights on the podcast as well.
I appreciated the authenticity of that post. And … I realize I’ve been in this position before. I connected with Marisa’s story. For me, it always felt weird to consider myself a thought leader or an influencer. Yes, I’ve been on many stages speaking. I’ve spoken to rooms with hundreds of people. I’ve co-authored a well-received book on remote work and agile methodologies. And it still feels weird to be thought of as an influencer. I always took a different view and shared it in the following comment:
As someone who works with many people struggling with imposter syndrome (including myself), I've found a useful reframe is to think more "storyteller" instead of "authority/influencer." People connect with stories, and not all stories are for all people. And that's ok. You learn to adjust your stories for your audience and what you’re trying to convey.
But storytelling isn’t just about content creation. It’s a useful skill for job seekers, those making a case for a promotion in their organization, or for leaders trying to motivate their teams.
For those of you who have read this newsletter for a while, I’m guessing you stick around for the stories for the reason I mentioned to Marisa. You find your connection with the people in the stories. That’s why I encourage people to develop their storytelling skills.
Let’s talk about how you can develop that storyteller skill:
First, pay attention to the stories you already share with people you know
Next, practice telling stories to people you don’t know that well
Then, practice telling stories to people you want to reach
Pay Attention to the Stories You Share
We tell stories to friends, family and colleagues all the time. But have you noticed what stories you share with friends and family? We might tell a funny story about something that happened or something we observed. We might tell a story of illness or hardship. We may share a story of accomplishment.
What about the stories you share with colleagues? Perhaps you share a story of resolving a difficult technical issue. You might share another story to explain a complex system to a non-technical stakeholder. And you may share another story with colleagues about a big win on a difficult project.
Now, why do you share these stories? What are you trying to share? Happiness? Surprise? Humor? A Lesson? Are you trying to gain empathy? Build support with others in your group? Are you trying to recall an event that is important to you, your friends, your family, your company, or your broader community?
Notice the stories you share, what was your intention for sharing the story, and did you meet that intention? If you told the story to someone else, did you slightly alter the story? If so, why? Did you have a different intention?
The answer is typically “yes” to these other questions because we have different relationships and we try to connect with people in different ways through our stories.
So once you start noticing how you tell stories to people you know, why you tell them, and what results you get, you are ready for the next step.
Tell Stories to People You Don’t Know Well
As you meet a stranger, what’s the first story you tell them? Usually it’s in response to the question “What do you do?” And then we tell a story of how we serve others or what we help them achieve. The ones we help could be children, family members, friends, a volunteer organization. It could even be about the customers or colleagues you help through your work. But it’s usually a story about service or achievement and it’s a story about you.
But some of us don’t like that kind of spotlight. We can get nervous telling our story. We fear that if the stranger doesn’t like the story they don’t like us. As tribal creatures, we sometimes don’t like the idea of rejection.
But what I’ve found is there may be another way to tell the story. And you will always find someone else to share your story. How might you change it? Can you shift that story to talk about the people you serve? Where are they needing help? How do you notice this need? How do they reach out to you for help? What are the steps you take to help them?
Can you tell this story in 30 seconds or less? That’s the length of your typical “elevator pitch,” the response you rattle off in response to the question “What do you do?” A typical story response is ‘I help X to do Y to achieve Z.”
Now, can you tell this story in 10-15 minutes, for those who want to learn more?
You might recognize this as marketing and I just see it as another form of storytelling. This same skill works for interviews, networking events, or being introduced to to new colleagues in your company. Think of the elevator pitch as your origin story in miniature. It’s not just the story of what you do, but the journey of why you do it. That conveys the passion and strengthens the connection.
But to effectively market, the next step is to tell stories to people you want to reach. I’ll save that for next time. What kind of storyteller would I be if I didn’t provide a little anticipation?
Hope that helps,
Mark
Footnotes:
I’ll be sharing stories of how to navigate a challenging job market this Thursday at 12 noon ET. Sign up at Skip the Path, Find Your Career Trail.