Storytelling at Work: A Leadership Offer for Well-being

Storytelling is an under leveraged means to creating and sustaining well-being in organizations. People love a good story. In fact, human brains are hardwired for storytelling and story-listening. It is, quite simply, one of the most effective ways for people to make sense of theirs and others’ experiences. Aside from its ability to help people construct meaning, storytelling also enhances interpersonal connection, acts as a mastery sharing vehicle, and evokes positive emotions. In essence, storytelling and story-listening is a ready offering for well-being. Yet, leaders within our organizations underestimate and under utilize this uniquely human strength. They are not encouraged to tell stories; they routinely attempt to influence employee behavior and organizational vitality through data and facts even though research shows that people learn best through narrative. The inherent vulnerability in storytelling may help us understand why we seldom use this competency. This paper examines the positive potential of unleashing storytelling in organizations to increase individual and collective well-being.