2026: The Year of Leadership Storytelling

A client walks into my office, shoulders slumped. “Apparently, I talk too much. I tell too many stories. People tune me out. Can you help?” This is my dream client.

I’ve always been a magnet for long-winded ramblers, and I was thrilled to help even one person tell stories that truly connect. I used to think I hated stories—they often felt irrelevant. So, I didn’t tell them.

That changed at 38. As a new trainer at the FDA, I was told, “Here’s the material you must include, but be sure to add at least one story from your experience, each hour.” With sudden urgency, I began harvesting stories from every corner of my life. It felt uncomfortable—would anyone actually want to hear these? But one by one, they emerged: Peace Corps, backpacking, corporate boardrooms, health, relationships. Each connected to lessons on accountability, priorities, motivation, and more.

With a few key strategies, I learned to refine and share my stories. When I ran into people a year after training, I’d curiously ask what inspired action. The answer was consistent: “The moments that made me feel—definitely the stories.” No preaching, no judging. Just real, lived experience.

The REST Method: A Framework for Influence & Connection

At the center of this storytelling revolution is the REST Method, introduced in Beyond Words: How Our Stories and Strategies Inspire Action.

Paul Zak, a neuroscience researcher and author, writes, “Our most valuable leadership skill is persuasion, and leaders most effectively influence behavior by telling a story.” Poorly told stories, or rather people who consistently take up too much airspace, can repel instead of connect.

This four-part framework helps leaders craft stories that drive both action and connection:

• Relate: Share stories that align with your audience’s interests or illustrate something meaningful to them. If it’s “just because you remembered something,” hold back.

• Engage: Use eye contact, pause, and ensure you haven’t told it before. Truly read the room. Ask micro-questions like, “Can you relate?” and adjust if attention wanes.

• Short: Be concise. People grow restless if it drags—keep it between 20 seconds and five minutes.

• Theme: Know your point—time management, resilience, optimism, creativity. That’s what turns a telling into storytelling. If there is no point, don’t start.

In an era of digital acceleration and AI-driven communication, human stories remain the most powerful way to spark empathy and mobilize action. It is no wonder that 2026 is the “year of storytelling.” Research shows that stories increase our interest and willingness to act by 261 percent, and inspired people are twice as engaged. In today’s world, storytelling is no longer optional; it has become a strategic leadership competency. Matthew Dicks, bestselling storytelling author, reminds us, “Storytelling isn’t merely entertainment. It’s a bridge—it helps people feel seen, understood, and emotionally connected.”

“Leaders and storytellers share the same goal—using their words to inspire—making it a vital leadership skill,” says Charn McAllister, professor of management and director of the Northern Arizona University Institute for Public & Professional Ethics in Leadership.

About 13 years later, I find myself on stage before 2,000 attendees at the American Burn Association’s annual conference—eight stories in one hour. Afterward, CEO Ed Dellert approaches me. I expect to talk about logistics or feedback. Instead, he opens his heart. He shares that one of my stories connected deeply with something personal in his own life. That moment—his story, our connection— is what stays with me. As we say goodbye, he smiles and says, “Stories make the work we do human.” I couldn’t agree more.

If you want to assess your skills, check out Lancaster Leadership’s free 31-Competency Leadership Assessment—available here: lancasterleadership.com/bookresources.