Powerful Storytelling, From the Heart

OFF CAMPUS

• 🎯“Us vs. Them”: how one principal united two rival high schools

• 💣 Start Demolishing: What can I eliminate to make a difference today?

• 😂 Pace Yourself: if it’s your first day/week/month back teaching

• 🤝 Building Bridges: check out these action-focused tips to help students transcend differences and work together

DO SCHOOL DIFFERENT

Powerful Storytelling, From the Heart

A while back, I had an opportunity to deliver a conference presentation.

I spent months preparing.

I mapped out key points I wanted to cover, polished my transitions, and designed compelling visuals.

I created a one-page takeaway that attendees could use straightaway.

And I practised my delivery.

Everything looked and felt ready.

But on the big day I left the podium feeling like I missed the mark.

In hindsight, I made one critical mistake: during my presentation, I relied too heavily on my notes.

Instead of reading the room, I followed my script.

I also got lost in tangents, lingered too long on particular points, and didn’t hit my key message.

The content wasn't the issue.

The problem was that I hadn't spoken from the heart.

I missed an opportunity to tell my story and connect with the audience.

No one raved about my slides.

But they did comment afterwards about particular aspects of my story.

They connected with a feeling.

And maybe in the process, they felt some feelings of their own.

When we make the journey from the head to the heart, we move from delivering routine "updates" to influencing through story.

And that change creates momentum.

Instead of managing people through authority, we hook them with a feeling, and pull them in through story.

We can create moments that ripple far beyond the room, beyond the meeting, beyond that single day.

This is why I'm excited about Danny's upcoming learning series.

It's specifically designed for leaders who want to move beyond speaking at people and start inspiring them.

If you're ready to learn how to influence through story, simply reply with one word: STORY.

We'll send you all the details about The Influence Engine. The program begins in just a few days (October 9).

TIP OF THE WEEK

This week, instead of updates, deliver stories.

Anyone can push out information.

But we create influence when we wrap information in a story that makes people feel, remember, or take action.

Want to practice?

Take one “update” you were going to share this week and reframe it as a short story.

For next-level impact, share the difference you notice in how people respond with us!

And if you want even more, hit reply with the word STORY and we’ll send you the details about our new program, The Influence Engine.

SUNDAY VIBES