The Power of Storytelling and the Role of Story Stewardship

I am not the world’s greatest story teller. I tend to give myself a hard time about it whenever I recount a funny event to friends or family. I feel the pressure of trying to recount events in a way that is compelling and insightful to the listener. I flounder under the self-induced pressure. I take the heat off by advising something about being ’rubbish at telling stories’ and fumble my way to the end of the events that I felt so excited to share at the beginning of the conversation. Any of this sound familiar?

It’s a skill, an art, I am invested in enhancing, because human beings have been inexplicably attracted to the art of storytelling for hundreds of thousands of years. From the young to the old we see how storytelling fascinates us.

And thus I ponder, is storytelling one of the most powerful techniques to influence change and create inclusivity? And whilst we often focus on the role of the storyteller, what might the role of the listener be?

 The field of DEI work is often associated with broadening mindsets or driving appreciation for others beyond ones self. And these goals to influence, inspire and teach can often be achieved most successfully when delivered through the power of storytelling. And research confirms that well-designed stories are the most effective vehicle for exerting influence[1].

But this statement began to make me wonder why that is?

The same hormones and neurotransmitters that we experience when we fall in love are released when we listen to a story. David JP Phillips (TEDx speaker and Presentation Skills and Communications Expert) experimented with a TEDx audience in Stockholm in 2017[2], engaging the audience in three different stories that induced the release of dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins. A cocktail of hormones which can explain why storytelling can be so powerful.  In the release of each chemical a storyteller can evoke different feelings including focus, trust and creativity.

• Dopamine - Increased levels of dopamine can drive increased attention or focus, motivation and ability to remember. In storytelling dopamine release is increased when you build suspense or deliver a cliff hanger.

• Oxytocin – A release of oxytocin can drive feelings of generosity, trust and bonding with the storyteller. This can be achieved by telling a story that creates a feeling of empathy.

• Endorphins – Increased endorphins can make people feel relaxed and more creative. Endorphins are often released when we make people laugh.

Effective storytelling involves a deep understanding of human emotions, motivations, and psychology.

It is a difficult job to find a book dedicated to discussing inclusivity in the DEI field which does not devote some of its pages to the power of storytelling. Jennifer Brown’s How to be an Inclusive Leader encourages her readers to embrace the stories from their own experiences. Perhaps around themes of advantages, marginalisation, or from any and all of our lived experiences, she shares how they can prove to be effective tools to evoke empathy, learning, influence beliefs, attitudes or behaviours.

I witness this on a weekly basis. Those of my colleagues, friends and family that share their experience, their views, their difference through a story are not only listened to, they are very often applauded. Because a story, particularly a personal story allows the listener to feel trusted, through sharing a personal insight the storyteller expresses a high degree of vulnerability which is often met with appreciation and reciprocation. And so in the act of cultivating a meaningful connection the storyteller has achieved an expression of vulnerability. Vulnerability readies us for sharing and opens up the space to create a pathway to connection.

But storytelling will not achieve its potential if the listener is not also prepared  

Storytelling can disarm a conversation which might otherwise lead to stale mate. Humans are drawn to listen to stories but we must appreciate that this is not always successful. Brene Brown speaks about ‘ The Practice of Story Stewardship’[3]. For a story to reach its powerful potential, the listener must be open to listening to it. Sometimes a story is dismissed, we can shut people out when we experience discomfort and we can sometimes take over the narrative and make it about ourselves or our perception of what has happened, rather than the storyteller themselves. Because someone’s lived experience may be different to our own, sometimes we reject their truth. Brene defines ‘story stewardship’ as ‘being curious and building narrative trust as a person tells you about their experience of being in their own shoes’. Recognising that we have an important role as a story steward not only as story teller is important.

As leadership roles today evolve and become re-imagined storytelling may just be one of our best ways to engage with an audience in an authentic and vulnerable way to evoke change. So, maybe you will join me on this journey and start practising your story telling skills. David JP Phillips says that everyone is a good storyteller, the only problem is that you don’t believe it yet!  

‘True belonging only happens when we present our authentic imperfect selves to the world’

Brene Brown

Author: Gemma Littlewood  

 [1] V. Boris, 2017. What makes storytelling so effective for learning, Harvard Business Publishing. What Makes Storytelling So Effective For Learning? - Harvard Business Publishing

[2]  David JP Phillips, 2017. The magical science of storytelling (https://youtu.be/Nj-hdQMa3uA)

 [3] Brene Brown. 2021. www.BreneBrown.com .  The Practice of Story Stewardship - Brené Brown (brenebrown.com)