Storytelling Bites 2 - Authenticity
Authenticity is rightfully seen as an essential aspect of good leadership.
An authentic connection builds trust, believability and a desire by others to be on our side.
We all need to truly connect with the person we are listening to, or speaking with, whether they are a leader, a colleague, a potential supplier, or stakeholder. We need to know what they think, feel, and believe about the subject they are sharing with us. What is their opinion, their value judgement. Do they reflect ours, challenge us to see things in a new light, turn us off completely or simply bore us?
The way we speak is one of the main building blocks to support that authentic connection. What we say, how we say it, our behaviour and decision making must all be congruent, or a façade will be spotted, and once spotted, will crumble along with our credibility.
Being authentic and true to ourselves doesn’t stop us from adjusting what we’re saying and how we’re saying it, to best serve the audience we have in front of us. We are trying to help them engage with and be connected to the topic we are sharing with them. For this to work, we need to consider their thoughts and feelings on the subject, and have clarity in our minds as to why we are talking to them at this particular moment and what outcome we would like to achieve from this exchange (look out for our Storytelling Bite on Motivation).
We are, after all, speaking to or with them. The communication is for them.
By considering our own subjective thoughts and feelings around the subject, alongside the questions and concerns we may have, we find what our authentic connection to it is. We can then use these, alongside the desired outcome of this communication, as the foundation blocks onto which we build what we say. This must always be kept in check, sharing enough about ourselves and our take on the subject, without turning what we have to say into a monomaniacal autobiography.
A good Storyteller shows an equal interest in the story they are telling and the audience they are giving it to. Their desire to ensure the audience connects to the story requires them to model that reaction by having made a strong connection to it themselves, and to have thought through what will help and hinder their audience doing the same.
Our training can help you find your authentic voice, so that those you speak to connect through your messages both to your purpose and to you.
