“Wow, your customer’s video really captured my attention!”
“Sorry, I don’t have time to listen to your 30-minute story.”
“The company update feels…uninspiring.”
Sound familiar?
In the world of communications, these are the top challenges that keep leaders up at night. And as the art of leadership storytelling evolves in the modern workplace, its importance becomes even more essential to unite and empower individuals.
In 2024, leadership storytelling hit an inflection point. Leaders blended the technological benefits of artificial intelligence to speed up the storytelling process while maintaining what makes stories irresistible – the human element.
Three trends emerged:
People began personalizing more stories using AI
AI pumped out endless story content, but quantity far exceeded quality
More companies embraced storytelling to navigate crises (Apple example)
We’re just getting started…
After speaking with dozens of HR and executive leaders this year, I’ve seen a massive shift in how the most effective organizations are cutting through the noise and capturing hearts and minds.
Spoiler alert: It’s not about more content – it’s about great storytelling.
2025 Leadership Storytelling Trends to Watch
Ready to discover the three trends that are transforming leadership storytelling in 2025?
Video Becomes the Default Choice 🎥
A decade ago, daily online video consumption was 15 minutes per person. Now, the average user watches approximately 85 minutes! Video is becoming an increasingly popular format as it blends visual, audio, and motion into an immersive experience. No wonder, viewers retain 95% of a message when watching it on video vs 10% through text!
Storytelling is universal. What I mean is that there are a variety of ways to tell a story. Through voice, text, imagery, video, music, dance, art, and much more. In professional settings, video is quickly becoming the default choice for storytelling.
People are leveraging the technology inside their phones to share authentic moments, from a ‘Day in the Life’ to ‘Behind the Scenes’. Why? Because video creates deeper connections with the audience. Now you can see and hear the voice behind the brand as opposed to only getting one dimension of the brand at a time.
Video storytelling serves another purpose. It helps creators stand out from a sea of people on social media platforms. There’s no more visible way to show your authentic self than by showing that you sound and look different than the rest.
The Rise of Short-form Storytelling ⚡
Time is our most precious commodity. Here’s the deal: Capturing and holding one’s attention is the most valuable type of currency. In most business settings, you won’t have more than 60 to 90 seconds to tell an impactful story. Anything longer and the audience will tune you out or even interrupt you.
You need to weigh your words more carefully. Stop filling your stories with fluff that doesn’t add value. Aim for being as clear and concise as possible. The social platform X gives users 280 characters per post. Think of that as your sweet spot for storytelling.
Leaders are learning to master the art of the micro-message, turning complex stories into bite-sized moments. I refer to them as soundbites.
Here’s an example for you to see the difference between a standard 90 second story and a short-form story.
Standard 90 sec story: David, a fourth grader, visits a local music store with his mom. As he looks around for something to capture his attention, he sees a shiny gold saxophone. “Mom, can you buy me this one? I’ll practice every day!” His mom tells David No because his fingers are too small. David is sad, but he doesn’t give up. He continues to ask his mom to buy the saxophone and reminds her of the promise. After six months, she surprises him with the saxophone. “Woohoo!” David smiles and jumps with excitement. He knows that it’s his responsibility to stand by his promise. He takes weekly saxophone lessons and learns how to play the saxophone despite having small fingers. Later, he joins the middle school and high school jazz bands. It’s a reminder to always believe in yourself and never give up when you hear No.
Short-form story: David, a fourth grader, sees a shiny gold saxophone at a music store, falls in love with it, and asks his mom to buy it. She says his hands are too small, but he won’t give up. After six months, she buys it. David practices and keeps his promise. He plays in the school jazz band for 7 years. Believe in yourself and never give up despite the odds.
Notice how much easier it is to follow the short-form story?
Where Are We Going Shift 🚀
There are three distinct categories of leadership stories:
· Who am I? / Who are We?
· Why am I here? / Why are We here?
· Where am I going? / Where are We going?
The most common type of story you’ll hear in business situations is the first level: “Who are We?” It’s the type of story that centers are the company’s history – companies love to talk about their origin story. There’s a nostalgic feeling you get when you talk about the past. The problem is that talking about the past doesn’t help you get closer to charting your company’s future. It’s hard to energize and empower your workforce, customers, and partners when you are stuck talking about your past.
People want to know where you’re going! That’s the biggest shift I see emerging in the corporate world. Company leaders are painting vivid pictures of “Where We Are Going.”
This future-focused storytelling is lighting up employees, customers, and partners with possibilities. It's not just about the journey anymore – it's about making everyone excited to grab their tickets for the ride.
Looking for inspiration? Beyond Meat emphasizes how plant-based diets help fight climate change, a serious threat to our planet. Check out one of their recent ads.
A Bright Future for Leadership Storytelling
The use of storytelling in business settings is going through a period of hyper adoption. More businesses are noticing its unique power to connect, influence, and inspire audiences. In 2025, you will see more video-based storytelling, short-form stories, and future-focused stories.
Please get in touch if you would like to talk about how storytelling could enhance you or your team's professional development.
David Ghodsizadeh is founder and leadership storytelling coach at Storytelling 4 Success.
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