Storytelling for Influence

Summary

Telling a story is one thing. Getting someone to act on it is another. This workshop focuses on storytelling as a tool of influence: how to shape perception, build trust, and move people toward a decision or commitment. Whether you’re seeking buy-in from a skeptical stakeholder, energizing a team, or persuading an external audience, you’ll learn how to use story not just for expression, but for impact. Through case studies, guided exercises, and live practice, we’ll explore how to structure persuasive stories, adapt them to different power dynamics, and deliver them with clarity and conviction. This workshop is ideal for professionals who need to lead, persuade, or advocate, whether internally or in the public sphere.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand how and why storytelling creates influence across professional contexts

• Learn the anatomy of a persuasive story: stakes, agency, tension, resolution

• Craft influence-oriented narratives tailored to key moments: proposal, pitch, change initiative, negotiation

• Identify which stories to tell when—and which stories to avoid

• Adapt storytelling techniques based on audience power, resistance, or skepticism

• Use emotion ethically and strategically to complement facts and logic

• Develop stories that move beyond awareness to alignment and action

• Gain fluency in subtle tools of influence: tone, timing, metaphor, and framing

• Practice delivering influential stories in high-stakes scenarios with live feedback

• Learn how stories build credibility, foster trust, and increase your leadership presence

• Leave with templates and structures for future influence-based storytelling moments