One of my LinkedIn connections is Nicole Malachowski, a fellow veteran. She retired from the US Air Force as a Colonel. Among her many accolades and distinctions, she was the first female pilot selected to fly as part of The Thunderbirds. She frequently posts about her life experiences and of course, she shares stories. Today, I came across one that I wanted to share because it is a fantastic example of a “Today Story.”
A Today Story is generally something that happened to you within the last month. And you likely dismiss it as “uninteresting” or “not a big deal.” In reality, it can easily be made into an interesting story and into a big deal.
For a moment, think about every story you have ever heard… do you think the first time that story was told it was a big deal? Not likely. As such, I challenge you to start thinking about everyday experiences in a new way, as a StoryThinker™.
As a leader, what are you doing to better engage your teams, your prospects, your customers?
Here’s Nicole’s Story:
Welcome Detours
Last week I was walking around Nashville, TN, on my way to meet a friend for dinner. There was a lot of major construction going on and I came across this large detour sign laying on the ground.
It stopped me in my tracks, so much so that I decided to take this picture.
It occurred to me that when I consider the major turning points in my life, they were a lot like unplanned detours.
It’s important we have long-term goals and that we establish plans to attain them. It’s equally important that we expect the unexpected and that we are ready to navigate changes when they happen. The fact of the matter is, there is a lot in this world we cannot control and detours will happen. In fact, I think they happen a lot.
The truth is, I never flew a mission or sortie that went exactly the way I planned it. Never, not once.
What happens when you’re driving and you come across an unexpected detour? First, we usually feel very frustrated by it. Detours usually cost us time and energy. Then, we assess where we’re at and where we are trying to go and we always find another way. Sometimes the detour route is clearly marked, sometimes we discover it on our own.
And, interestingly, sometimes these detours expose us to scenery and options we would never have known about. I think it’s the same in life. Detours can actually lead us to some pretty amazing places.
MORE EXCELLENT BUSINESS STORIES TO READ
- Beat the Odds (read)
- Ride Space Mountain. It Won’t Kill You (read)
- Bring Back Child-Like Wonder (read/watch)
- All story examples (go now)
FURTHER READING ON BUSINESS STORYTELLING
- Turn Your Everyday Experiences into Engaging, Powerful Stories (read)
- “Pause” with Purpose in Speaking, Training, and Storytelling (read)
- In Storytelling, Balance Emotion and Benefit (read)
- Add Suspense to Your Story with “Near-Impossible Goals” (read)
- Anaphora – Increase Impact with this Type of Word Repetition (read)
- All Business Storytelling Articles & Posts (go now)
Photography Source: Nicole Malachowski’s LinkedIn Profile
#chiefstoryteller #communication #storytelling
