Business Briefing: The Leader as Storyteller

Keywords: Leadership, Storytelling, Communication, Influence, Howard Gardner, Warren Bennis
Source: Harvard Business Review
Link: Read the full article on HBR.org
Author: Warren Bennis
Published: January 1996
Est. Read Time (Original): ~15 minutes

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The Core Idea

In this review of Howard Gardner's book Leading Minds, leadership guru Warren Bennis crystallizes Gardner's central thesis: effective leaders are, above all, storytellers. Gardner argues that leaders, from global figures like Gandhi to internal corporate influencers, are those who "tell or embody stories that speak to other people." This cognitive framework moves beyond simplistic charts and theories to suggest that a leader's primary function is to craft and live a narrative that markedly influences the behaviors, thoughts, and feelings of their audience.

Why It Matters for Business Today

Bennis champions Gardner's work as a necessary framework for resolving the modern "leadership crisis." The insights are fundamental for any leader looking to move beyond mere management to genuine influence.

• Story is the Mechanism of Influence: Your strategy, vision, and values are inert without a compelling narrative to carry them. Gardner's work makes it clear that the story a leader tells, and, crucially, embodies through their actions, is the primary vehicle for creating meaning, alignment, and motivation within a team or organization.

• Anecdotes Trump Theories: Bennis praises Gardner's method of "showing instead of telling." A single, well-chosen anecdote or example that illustrates a core value is far more powerful and memorable than a thousand abstract theories or mission statements. For leaders, this is a lesson in communication: make your point with a story.

• Moving Beyond False Dichotomies: The article highlights Gardner's sophisticated view that leaders are rarely just one thing. They are not simply "pragmatists vs. idealists" or "born vs. made." Effective leaders are a complex blend of these traits, "pragmatic dreamers" whose power comes from their ability to embody a multifaceted and authentic story.

The Strategic Question for Leaders

Howard Gardner argues that a leader's effectiveness is defined by the story they tell and embody. What is the central story that you tell your team through your words, decisions, and daily actions, and does that narrative successfully influence them to move in the direction you intend?

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