The Impactful Leadership Show

Telling Your Story - Sarah Elkins - The Impactful Leadership Show - Episode # 024

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Storytelling is an impactful art and a powerful tool but so many leaders misunderstand how to use it optimally. Sarah Elkins masterfully crafts narratives and is a sought-after leader, coach, and professional speaker. Sarah is the Communication & Storytelling Coach at Elkins Consulting Inc. as well as the author of Your Stories Don't Define You. How You Tell Them Will. In addition, Sarah is also the host of a podcast called Your Stories Don’t Define You. Come along for an amazing conversation laden with tips on how to tell more meaningful and inspiring stories, how to lead a happier life, and what to avoid when telling your story. 

 

Takeaways: 

  • Your stories don’t need to be epic in order to share them. The grandiose stories are not as relatable as the most meaningful, pivotal moments in your life. 
  • In order to communicate what really matters to you with the others in your team, share personal stories. The best way to share your vision and values is to share something personal. 
  • Stories do not have to show extreme vulnerability to be inspiring. Some degree of vulnerability is important, but not everyone needs to, or should, go way out of their comfort zones. 
  • In the moment, you most likely won’t recognize the meaningful stories as they are happening. It takes being asked the right questions before the epiphany hits. 
  • When sharing a meaningful story, paint a picture for the listener with very intentional details that they can relate to in some ways. 
  • If you want to share a story about a win, don’t start with bragging. Start with setting the scene of the first obstacle and the supporting characters. The story can’t be all about you and your win. End with what the win felt like and what the ultimate impact was. 
  • As you walk through your everyday life, you are collecting the stories that will be meaningful to you in the future. Think about those stories being in alignment with how you see yourself and how you want to be perceived. 

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    Quote of the Show:

    • “If you want to connect with people, they need to know what matters to you” - Sarah Elkins

     

    Links:

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesmileisfree/  
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahelkins  
  • Company website: https://elkinsconsulting.com/  
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahlynnelkins/?hl=en 
  • Your Stories Don’t Define You Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Bwk56V5neXxjJXk3tarSE?si=2fd9d2741c3045fd  
  • Your Stories Don’t Define You: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Stories-Dont-Define-You/dp/1646631110/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0  
  • Rocket To Uranus: https://rockettouranus.com/ 

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    Shout Outs:

    • StrengthsFinder

     

    Ways to Tune In:

    • Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b9436ea0-3e54-4c2d-a555-43e6ac890787
  • Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-impactful-leadership-show/id1608566236
  • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/39cdJjxlfGrGXreE7r8OBm
  • Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2ltcGFjdGZ1bGxlYWRlcnNoaXAvZmVlZC54bWw
  • iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/95281596
  • PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/3352055
  • YouTube: https://youtu.be/he3wDo7xftk 

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    The Impactful Leadership Show is sponsored by the DC Chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Learn more at https://www.eodcnetwork.org/home 

     

    The Impactful Leadership Show is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

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