The four core stories

Leaders often hear about influence through storytelling, but don’t know where to start. In this podcast conversation from Coaching for Leaders, David Hutchens and podcast host Dave Stachowiak explore four core stories to tell and how to get started.

Storytelling is a critical leadership skill because it is one of the most powerful ways leaders influence, create alignment, and engage people.
Leaders are narrators, and storytelling connects to every aspect of leadership influence, not through performance, but through telling the right strategic story.
Storytelling is natural and accessible—leaders already do it in everyday life; the key barrier is permitting themselves permission to tell stories at work.
The goal is not performance but authenticity—leaders do not need to be professional storytellers; strategic, well-chosen stories matter more than delivery.
There are four core stories leaders should tell: identity (who we are), vision (where we are going), values (what guides us), and change & learning (how we grow).
Identity stories (“who we are”), including origin stories, connect people to meaning, shared history, and what has always been true about the organisation.
Vision stories are future-focused, using imagination and present-tense language to make the future feel real and invite people to participate in it.
Values stories bring espoused values to life, overcoming cynicism by showing real examples of values lived out in action, as seen in organisations like Zappos.
Change and learning stories require vulnerability, but they build credibility, trust, loyalty, and learning when leaders share failures and what they learned.
The human mind is wired for story, and when leaders speak the language of story, they create engagement, alignment, shared meaning, and powerful influence.

The 4 stories leaders need to tell

Who we are stories – what it means to be us
Vision stories – the future we desire
Values in action stories – how the espoused values show up in our organisation
Change and learning stories – the stories about a time we tried something and learned from it

Visit the episode webpage for the main takeaways, additional resources and notes from the interview: https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/four-stories-leaders-influence.

Read more about “The Four Core Stories” in David’s book “Circle of the 9 Muses”. Click the link below to enjoy his engaging blend of story, insight, and practical application.

https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/circle-of-the/9781118973967/c01.xhtml

Note: You will need to create a free profile on the O’Reilly Media website in order to read the full chapter.

The four core stories

Podcast Summary

The 4 stories leaders need to tell