A521.1.4.RB - Your Favorite Storytelling Leader

Select a story told by a leader that left an impression on you. This leader can be from your organization, community, or even a famous individual. Describe the story and what about it that made it memorable and/or perhaps positively affected your life.

A leader that has made an impression through storytelling would have to be my Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Commander, Lt Col Michael D. Eliason. This leader has been influential in my life because he shaped my college experience and has laid the foundation on which I developed my own leadership from. During these pivotal years, Lt Col Eliason has given many stories to our class based on his career as a B-1 Lancer pilot and time in the Air Force. The most memorable story that has made an everlasting impact was one he gave to my commissioning class on the 'sheepdog.'

This story was told towards the end of the last semester before graduation during a trek up to University of Utah's 'Block U,' a large concrete hillside letter U.

Photo: University of Utah AFROTC Detachment 850 'Skyraider' Class of 2013 at the Block U.

At the summit, Lt Col Eliason took our senior class aside for a mentoring session. He made us face the Salt Lake City valley while the sun was setting and said, "You see that down there? That is what you are protecting. You are the sheepdog that will protect the herd and masses from the wolves and other predators of the world. The people down there represent the sheep. Now, there is nothing wrong with being a sheep. They go on about their day doing what they need to do without worrying about the dangers of the world. They work and sleep and move onto the next day with what concerns their own life. The sheepdogs are what you represent in this world. A sheepdog's mission is to protect the sheep from any dangers that they may encounter. They will fight wolves and would sacrifice themselves in order to protect the sheep. The sheepdog serves a purpose larger than its own life. Not anyone can be a sheepdog and it takes a very special individual to become a sheepdog. As you finish up with your academics and prepare to commission into the United States Air Force, you will enter the ranks of the sheepdog and will have the great responsibility of  protecting what we have here in this nation. I want you to remember this moment as you prepare to enter active duty. Remember what you are fighting for because the bad guys will always be lurking around to terrorize the sheep, but as long as there are sheepdogs then the bad guys better beware."

This story has stuck with me and although it is paraphrased, the emotions and message still remain from me being able to re-tell the tale. One of the elements that has been able to make this story memorable is the delivery location being up on the hillside. This particular detail made the impact of the story more grand and meaningful because it was relevant and special. This particular element of delivery relates to the setting of a story which is important because it creates the mood, tone, and atmosphere for a story (Housewright, 2011). The intimate setting of having just our senior class and commander overlooking the Salt Lake City valley during sunset gave a depth to the story that will forever be ingrained into my memory.

Synthesize the module content and share your insights into the following: Was the leader clear in the purpose of the story? Did they effectively communicate a vision? Did they seek to create a feeling that you understood their communication? Were you able to tune in with your felt sense?

Our commander, Lt Col Eliason, had a clear intent when crafting the scenario to tell us this particular story. For this story, he wanted it to leave an everlasting impression for our last class after 4 years of being in the AFROTC program. He has a range of storytelling capabilities from short and concise to graphic and detailed that related to any occasion. This particular story was narrative in nature and gives off an orator feel because it is directed to a large crowd rather than a single person (Denning, 2011, p. 42). The tone of the story is more heartfelt with inspiring a group because he has managed to create a deep relationship with our class. The use of the analogy helped to a create a connection that was relatable and memorable. These characteristics developed a setting that aided in creating a more intimate space that made the story much more engaging and personable than would have been otherwise (e.g. in a classroom setting).

The vision Lt Col Eliason was creating was forward-thinking by putting the beginning of our careers into perspective after finishing up the AFROTC program. The description that we were entering something larger than us gave us the insight of being part of the larger picture in a poetic way. The setting combined with the story narration by our commander both supported each other effectively and gave us an emotional connection to the delivery of the story. It was similar feeling to when a parent is telling you an meaningful tale or saying that they are proud of you without being too blunt about it. Whalen (2007, p. 10) describes this type of connection through communication as mirror neurons by invoking the sense of a familiar emotion. This shared emotion was felt through the mirror neurons for me when someone you deeply respect gives you accolades without coming off as too corny or cheesy. This felt sense gave myself and my cohorts a sense of pride and happiness of reaching this momentous part of our lives that we knew by looking into each other eyes afterwards. Overall, Lt Col Eliason moved us on a emotional level with his storytelling that has left an unforgettable impression that will remain with us for the rest of our life.

References

Denning, S. (2011). The leader’s guide to storytelling: Mastering the art and discipline of business narrative (Revised and updated edition). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Housewright, D. (2016). The importance of setting. The Loft Literary Center. Retrieved from https://writersblock.loft.org/2011/08/15/644/the_importance_of_setting

Whalen, J.D. (2007). The professional communications toolkit. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.