Karen Bishop Morris (MA ’96, PHD ’02) | Associate Professor of English| Purdue University Northwest

Have you ever been asked to serve on a board or a committee? Or, how about this: Raise your hand again if you’ve ever been asked for a donation to a cause — nonprofit, political, or otherwise. Bonus points if you’ve ever been tasked with persuading a team to buy into an idea, or charged with making the case to higher-ups for additional resources.

Chances are the success of any of these overtures hinged on the turn of a good story.

But you can breathe easy. The most effective leaders and storytellers in the workplace are not novelists or professional writers. The best stories are not some conjured fantasy or elaborate essay.  

However, if you can effectively deploy storytelling, you might just find yourself building a stronger team, widening your circles of influence, raising more dollars — and becoming the stuff legends are made of!

Numerous polls — Gallup, LinkedIn, etc. — capture metrics concerning the relationship between employee engagement and productivity. A well-placed story has the power to ignite change and transform culture.

Unlocking your unique profile and reframing your experiences for specific audiences can mean the difference between a green light and a shelved project — get started right away, or maybe later.

The Toni Morrisons and J.K. Rowlings of the world are welcome, but remember: impactful storytelling is a technique that you don’t have to be born with. It can be taught.

The most memorable anecdotes are authentic and simple. A little guided soul-searching can help you leverage the details of your journey to create opportunity and impact.

Ready to distinguish yourself in your work and the world? Join me at Women’s Conference 2020 for Expedition Ever True. Together, we will unleash the power of storytelling to unlock the power of potential.