Why leaders must be vulnerable to create change
Storytelling allows people to see themselves in leaders and embrace the change they are trying to make.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost four years since I published my Scouting coming-out story in HuffPost.
My story appeared alongside three others — by Dwayne Fontenette, Alex Call and Ryan Jones — and collectively cracked open a longstanding silence about what it was like to be queer in the Boy Scouts of America.
That experience, and the national conversation that followed, taught me that leaders must be vulnerable and share their true stories in order to create change. I learned that storytelling allows people to see themselves in leaders and embrace the change leaders are trying to make.
In 2019, I took the TEDx stage to tell the world about this newfound power in vulnerable storytelling — one that’s backed by loads of science and countless anecdotes.
Today I wanted to share the video of my TEDx Talk, as I think its lessons are more relevant than ever. Check it out below.
Have you had an experience as a leader where storytelling allowed you to make an impact? I’d love to hear about. Hop into the comments and tell us all about it!
