Five types of stories to tell about yourself

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“I’m worried about my job”.

In May 2020, a member of the office staff of a company we know sent a heartbreaking email to their HR head. This blue collar staff consisted of drivers, administrators, and janitors. The offices had shut indefinitely. The knowledge workers had settled into a different world. But what about them? He spoke on behalf of his fellow staff members. 

What the company leadership did next has now become a wonderful moment for the company. But we’ll tell that story another day.

For ages, telling stories has been the cultural glue that has helped great leaders spread influential ideas. We all have our stories to tell, but we neither know how to tell them well, or what stories to tell. In the world of communication, storytelling is a bit of a fad these days, but when used well, it can help you instill the right cultural values within your remote team, help you get noticed on social media, and enable your communication from being lost in the noise.

Whether you are running a company or telling your own story, here are five types of stories to reflect on:

  • Origin Story: where did your latest professional adventure begin?

  • Interesting Failure: a time when you faltered, and what you learned from it

  • Epic Moment: the big highlight of your current adventure

  • Day in the Life: Even the ordinary anecdote can become worth mentioning

  • The Success of Others: Sometimes, you are a supporting actor in someone else’s Big Story

What are your five stories?


Want to learn more about how to use stories to your benefit?

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