Lots of interaction with leaders this week.  CEO Forum on Monday.  CEO Boot Camp Monday evening through Tuesday.  ELEM awards Tuesday evening.  Joseph Wharton Dinner Wednesday evening.  How I personally felt about the various presentations and discussions came down to the quality of the stories.

That we communicate with stories is not new.  It's been going on since the invention of language (or cave painting).  What is new is the different media available for storytelling – including, of course, the explosion of social media.  However, no matter what the media, the quality of the story is still the starting point.

What great storytellers SAID

The great storytellers tell Stories with Actionable IDeas.  (SAID: S-Stories, A-Actionable, ID-IDeas).  Ideas need a compelling story for context.  Stories are made much more relevant if they incorporate, imply, or lead to great ideas.  And those ideas are much more valuable if the listener can figure out how to make them actionable for themselves. 

Some focus on the actions.  Some focus on the ideas.  Some tell stories.  The most compelling people this week, and every week, bring all three together.  Think SAID.  Whether you are focused on onboarding, change leadership, or crisis management, lead by telling Stories with Actionable Ideas for the people you're leading.