Step 1: Gather a Group of Leaders

Bring together a group of leaders or team members who want to strengthen their influence skills. Set the stage by emphasizing the power of influence in leadership and how storytelling can be a powerful tool for driving change.

Start with Why

When it comes to influencing others as a leader, starting with why is essential. People don’t just buy into what you do—they connect with the deeper purpose behind it. Simon Sinek’s famous ‘Golden Circle’ framework shows how great leaders inspire action by leading with why—the belief, mission, or purpose that drives everything else.

This clip perfectly illustrates why influence isn’t about authority or tactics—it’s about inspiring trust and motivation from the inside out.

Step 2: Share a Personal Influence Story

Encourage participants to reflect on and share a time when they had a significant influence that changed the game. This could be a moment where they successfully persuaded stakeholders, led a team through change, or inspired action through storytelling.

• What was the situation?
• How did they approach it?
• What was the outcome?

This exercise helps participants recognize their existing influence capabilities and sets the tone for deeper learning.

Step 3: Understand Your Influence Style

Getting participants to understand how they naturally influence others is key to refining and expanding their impact.

Step 4: Brainstorm Your Vision & Draft It from the Inside Out

Now that participants understand their influence style, they will craft a vision and communicate it in a way that maximizes impact.

Instructions:

Using the reflection questions below, participants will draft a compelling vision and frame it from the inside out—starting with why, then how, and finally what.

1) Capture the belief or value that underpins your vision or initiative.
What is the deeper reason behind this change or idea?
Imagine if… (Start with the WHY)

2) Outline actionable strategies to get there.
What are the priorities, actions, and partnerships that will make this vision achievable?
(This is the HOW)

3) Highlight the impact.
How will this change positively affect the business, customers, and stakeholders?
(This is the WHAT)

4) Make it compelling.
Use storytelling techniques to make your vision engaging.
Speak from the heart.

Bonus: How can you creatively leverage AI to enhance your storytelling or influence?

Final Thoughts & Application

Encourage participants to share their vision drafts with the group and provide feedback. Discuss how they can apply these techniques in real-life leadership scenarios to build influence through storytelling.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have:

✅ Identified their primary influence style.
✅ Practiced storytelling as a tool for influence.
✅ Created a compelling vision framed from the inside out.

Now it’s time to put these skills into action!

Gain further inspiration

Co-created content from the HOV community.

This free smoke consists of inspiring podcasts, insights and tools to help you level up the game in TA and HR