“Our capacity for story making, not just storytelling, is an extraordinary one. It unleashes our creativity—especially when we give ourselves permission to play with the structure and color outside of the lines.” — Catherine Connors

We often think about developing our storytelling skills as getting the words just right—refining the message, shaping an inspiring arc, choosing the perfect image or phrase. But the real measure of a powerful story isn't just whether someone likes it. It’s whether it gets picked up, passed along, and repurposed. If someone shares it in a meeting, spins off an initiative inspired by it, or uses it to rally their own team. The real power of storytelling is in how we invite others to take the story on as their own.

That’s what makes storytelling in leadership so powerful. It’s not just a tool for broadcasting information. It’s about bringing people together and inspiring change. 

In a live episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, we sat down with Catherine Connors—former Head of Content at Disney Interactive and founder of storytelling consultancy StoryQuo—to explore how storytelling is evolving, what it means to be a powerful storyteller today, and why it matters more than ever for leaders driving change. 

Through stories that spanned her work at Disney, her roots in academia, and her vision for the future of media, Catherine offered a powerful reminder: stories aren’t just tools for communication—they’re a leadership practice.

Listen to the full conversation below to hear how Catherine breaks down the evolving role of storytelling in leadership.

 

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In our conversation with Catherine, we uncovered five storytelling techniques leaders can use to bring people along and spark transformation. Let’s take a closer look at each one:

1. Treat Storytelling as a Collaborative Practice

Storytelling was never meant to be a solo act. Historically, it’s been an interactive, communal process—from oral traditions and fables to co-ops, writer’s rooms, and role-play games. Passive story consumption is a modern invention.

Catherine pointed out that even the most iconic, seemingly "broadcast" stories—like Disney films—succeed not because they’re handed down from above, but because fans take them and make them their own.

“Star Wars is as huge as it is because it's inspired collaborative communities in which people create their own versions of the stories and characters,” she notes. 

These stories may come from behind studio gates, but their real power lies in how they inspire audience participation—through fan fiction, cosplay, reinterpretation, and social storytelling. Fandoms are a creative engine.

The most powerful stories today are those that invite others to co-create, remix, and see themselves reflected. For leaders, that means fostering cultures of shared storytelling—designing narratives that people want to carry forward as their own.

2. Challenge Traditional Story Structures

“Ultimately, we want to move beyond coloring books.”

Classic story arcs like the Hero’s Journey can be helpful, but they’re not universal. Catherine reminded us that stories centered around luck, saviorism, or individual triumph often exclude people whose lived experiences don’t follow those same paths.

Instead, she advocates for reimagining formats like the Cinderella story—not as fairy tales about marriage, but as narratives of liberation and dignity. When leaders deconstruct familiar frameworks and build new ones, they open the door for more people to see themselves reflected and valued.

"These structures give us a framework,” she acknowledges. “But stories evolve because we work outside of frameworks. The true magic of story is that we make stuff up."

3. Start with What Your Audience Needs to Feel

“When we're making a story, we’re crafting and building upon a shared landscape of imagination.”

Whether you're launching a product, shaping a company culture, or driving social change, storytelling is most powerful when it begins with empathy. Catherine encourages leaders to shift from message-driven storytelling to experience-centered storytelling.

Ask yourself: What does my audience want to feel? What experience are they hoping for? What emotional journey are they on?

Using frameworks like the Pixar formula or folklore structures can help leaders explore these questions and connect with audiences on a human level. The power of story lies in its ability to put us in someone else’s shoes and imagine their inner world. And the success of storytelling is in resonance, not maximum reach.

4. Make Room for Play and Imagination

Play is essential to great storytelling. Catherine reminded us of how Disney’s Imagineering culture embraces experimentation and enchantment, and how embracing a playful mindset can open new creative dimensions.

"When children play, they let go of conceptions. In the landscape of play, anything becomes possible."

She explained that play creates emotional safety and co-creative energy—conditions that spark breakthrough thinking. This is especially valuable when tackling complex challenges like policy, systems change, or transformation initiatives.

"When we silence that inner, super adult voice that says this isn't possible, we move into a landscape where creation gets supercharged."

5. Redefine Who Gets to Be a Storyteller 

“Expanding our understanding of who is a storyteller is one of the most radical things that we can do.”

Catherine challenged the idea that storytelling is a skill reserved for marketers, writers, or leaders with platforms. We all tell stories. Around the dinner table. At work. In our communities. And everyone’s voice has value.

For leaders, this means expanding authorship—creating space for lived experience, community narrative, and distributed storytelling across an organization. It also means letting go of the need to tightly control how stories are received, because you respect your community as storytellers whose skills and contributions are just as worthwhile and valuable as your own. It means recognizing the leader’s responsibility in shaping culture through story and taking responsibility for reflecting everyone and inviting everyone in equally.

"The stories that we tell shape who gets to participate in the public sphere and the private sphere—who gets to be a leader, a citizen, a hero."

How to Build Your Storytelling and Leadership Skills

If you’re ready to deepen your impact as a leader, storytelling is a powerful place to start, but it’s just one part of the journey. The most effective leaders today know how to connect through story, ask better questions, navigate uncertainty, and design for change.

Explore our Storytelling for Influence Course, to learn how to craft compelling narratives that move people, from presentations to team rituals to large-scale initiatives.

And if you’re looking to grow your leadership practice more broadly, here are a few more resources from IDEO U:

• The Art of Storytelling: A practical guide to becoming a more effective storyteller

• How Creative Leaders Tap Into the Power of Questions: A deeper look at leading with curiosity and openness

• 3 Qualities Leaders Need to Thrive in Uncertainty: Building resilience, clarity, and trust

• AI and Leadership with Tim Brown: A forward-looking conversation on what leadership needs now
  
  

You don’t have to have all the answers to lead with confidence. But you do need the tools—and the mindset—to bring others along.

Final Thoughts: Storytelling as a Leadership Practice

What makes a story impactful? It's not just how well it's told. It's how deeply others want to make it their own.

"Once you've activated a story, it's now something communal,” Catherine says. “And when you create with that mindset—that you're letting go of control to optimize for engagement—you create something that can become inspiration and catalysis."

For leaders, this is the heart of storytelling for change. The goal isn’t just to be heard. It’s to create something that lives on through others—adapted, reshaped, and shared.

Key Takeaways

• Storytelling is inherently collaborative. The most impactful stories invite co-creation and encourage audiences to carry them forward.

• Traditional formats aren’t enough. Break out of classic structures to reflect a broader range of lived experiences.

• Empathy drives impact. Focus on what your audience wants to experience, not just what you want to say.

• Play fuels creativity. A playful mindset invites imagination, surprise, and deeper emotional connection.

• Everyone is a storyteller. Great leaders expand authorship and shape culture by making space for every voice.
  

Your Questions About Storytelling, Answered

Q: What is leadership storytelling?

A: Leadership storytelling is the practice of using narrative to build trust, align people, and navigate complexity. It’s how leaders move beyond messaging and step into thought leadership—modeling values, sparking imagination, and inviting others to co-create a shared story of change.

Q: Why is storytelling important?

A: Storytelling helps people connect emotionally, remember ideas, and take action. It turns complexity into clarity—and gives people something to believe in, not just understand.

Q: What is storytelling in business?

A: Storytelling in business is how leaders communicate strategy, values, and purpose in ways that resonate. It helps teams connect to the “why” behind the work, and makes change feel personal and possible.

Q: What is co-creation in storytelling?

A: Co-creation in storytelling means inviting others to shape the story with you. Instead of delivering a finished narrative, leaders open space for teams, communities, or audiences to contribute their own meaning, voice, or perspective. It’s a shift from storytelling as performance to storytelling as participation. In organizations, this builds ownership, trust, and more inclusive narratives that people want to carry forward.

Q: What are the most important storytelling techniques for leaders?

A: Techniques like co-creation, empathy, inclusive structure, and play help leaders craft stories that invite participation and reflection. These approaches build deeper engagement and a stronger culture of shared meaning.

Q: How can I improve my storytelling skills?

A: Focus on what your audience needs to feel—not just what you want to say. Practice with real stories, ask for feedback, and explore frameworks that help you shape clarity and emotion together. For deeper learning, try Storytelling for Influence or The Art of Storytelling.

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