The Do’s and Dont’s of Storytelling in Meetings
Stories are a great way to make meetings more meaningful and memorable. They can also ruin a meeting and make it feel like a complete waste of everyone's time.
The difference is almost entirely in how you use them. Here are the essential dos and don'ts for your next important meeting.
Do: Prepare Your Story in Advance
Be intentional. What point is the story designed to make? If the story enhances the information or illustrates the issue at hand, your team will remember the key takeaways longer and act on action items with more enthusiasm and purpose.
If it's not clear why you told the story — especially as the meeting progresses — you've got a problem. Know what your story is meant to do before you tell it.
Do: Be Prepared
In the process of getting ready for a meeting — setting the agenda, prepping the slide deck, ordering the coffee — it's easy to get swept up in the standard meeting to-dos. And then five minutes before it starts, you think: Oh, that's right, I should tell a story.
Five minutes is not enough time to find and craft an effective story, especially if you're newer to using storytelling as a strategy. Set time aside beforehand. It doesn't have to be a lot. But prepare the story you'll tell the same way you'd prepare anything else on the agenda.
Do: Be Brief
There is nothing worse than a long, rambling story in the middle of a meeting. Meetings take enough time as it is. Don't let your story be part of the problem. Keep it tight, keep it relevant, and get to the point. A focused story will land far better than an extended one that loses the room.
Do: Have Faith
This one matters, especially if you're just starting to use storytelling in your meetings. It might feel scary at first. It might feel a little weird. But the research doesn't lie: humans respond to stories, no matter who's in the room.
If you're meeting with people who breathe air, stories will work. Over time, you'll notice it: attendance goes up, engagement increases, and results improve. Trust the process.
Don't: Tell a Story Without a Clear Connection to the Agenda
A story that doesn't connect to the meeting's purpose isn't a story — it's a detour. Every story you tell in a meeting should earn its place by reinforcing a point, illustrating a challenge, or setting up a decision. If you can't articulate why the story belongs there, save it for another time.
Don't: Make Yourself the Hero Every Time
Stories where you always come out on top get old fast. The most effective stories in a leadership context often involve a mistake you made, a lesson you learned the hard way, or a moment where someone else did something worth recognizing. Vary the perspective and your team will stay more engaged.
Don't: Use a Story to Avoid a Difficult Topic
A well-timed story is powerful. A story used to sidestep a hard question or delay a tough conversation is something else entirely — and people notice. If there's something difficult to address in a meeting, address it. A story can come after, to add context or offer a path forward, but it shouldn't be used as a way around the thing that needs to be said. (More on that in this post on why you should never use storytelling to dodge tough questions.)
Don't: Wait Until You're "Good" to Start
The biggest don't of all is waiting until your storytelling skills feel polished before you try. They won't feel polished. That's not how any skill works. Start now, in your next meeting, with something small. You can always refine it. You can't get better without the reps.
If you want a framework for finding and crafting the right stories for any professional situation, Stories That Stick walks you through the whole process.
