Most people think a story has to be a seismic, life-altering event to matter. Something dramatic. Something obvious. Something big enough to justify being told.

But leadership is rarely shaped by moments that announce themselves.

In this conversation, Dr. J.J. Peterson talks with storyteller and creativity guide Tricia Rose Burt about why the stories that shape how we lead are often the ones we overlook—and how creativity helps us recognize, shape, and share them.

Together, they explore storytelling not as performance or branding, but as a leadership practice: a way of integrating lived experience, building trust, and making meaning in the work we do.

This is a conversation for leaders who feel disconnected from their creativity, unsure whether their story “counts,” or curious about how story and imagination strengthen—not soften—leadership.

Creativity isn’t a detour from leadership.

Storytelling isn’t a nice-to-have.

They’re how leaders stay human, flexible, and meaningful—especially when the work gets hard.

To learn more about Tricia Rose Burt and her work, visit triciaroseburt.com.