03. The Humanness of Leadership

0:00 [Vinod] Leaders and managers may not talk about this, but many of them struggle with a basic question: How do I connect as a human at the workplace?

0:15 Welcome to the Storytelling at Work Podcast. I'm your host, Vinod Krishna, and here we explore storytelling, communication, leadership, and more.

0:28 In today’s episode, we’re talking about something most leaders are aware of but rarely speak about.
The question is: How do I build trust and connection not on the basis of the job title I hold, but on the basis of who I am?

0:43 In most workplaces, conversations tend to be dry and transactional. Meetings sound serious.
Status updates feel like a checklist. Even appreciation sometimes comes across as lacking emotion, as though it’s just a line from a handbook: "Good job on the project." "Well done on the report."

1:02 In fact, workplaces expect us to be composed. So we show up wearing what I would call our professional mask. And while that mask helps us function in the system, it also creates a disconnect.
It can make us feel like we have to leave our humanness at the door.

1:17 During my days at Cisco, John Chambers was the CEO. His all-hands meetings were among the most awaited sessions. The first time I attended one of John’s town halls in person, I was transported to a different world. Firstly, there were no slides. And then, he was on stage just for a few minutes.

1:34 That’s because he loved getting off stage, walking around, making eye contact with people in the hall, taking the audience on a journey. He would tell stories about market opportunities, about how Cisco had this superpower of spotting trends before others. He would paint an exciting picture of the future, the vision of where the company was heading.

2:01 He was one of those master storyteller-leaders I saw in action. His talks included anecdotes and stories from his meetings and interactions with stakeholders. They revealed his perspective on both the industry and the company.

2:18 But there’s one story about him that has stayed with me even more. In the mid-90s, he participated in an event called 'Bring Your Child to Work'. There were about 500 employees and their children in the audience.
A young girl raised her hand to ask a question, but she froze. In fact, she couldn’t get the words out.
Everyone in the audience looked at her, and she started to cry.

2:45 John stepped off the stage and went up to the young girl. When he inquired, she told him she was dyslexic and had trouble asking her question out loud in front of everyone. And his response was simple:
"I am dyslexic too," he said.

3:00 He shared with her about his disability and how he learned to manage it. His mic was still on, and everyone in the room heard what he shared. John hadn’t planned to share that. In fact, he had never thought he would share that openly.

3:15 But later that day, he received a flood of messages from employees saying it was the first time they felt truly connected with him, that they had seen a different side of him, and it made them feel like they knew him as a leader. John had connected with employees beyond his role as CEO.

3:32 People usually see an invisible fence around a leader. And while competence earns respect, vulnerability is what builds trust.

3:40 And here’s where storytelling opens up opportunities to establish trust. A story does something that a title, a position, or a slide deck cannot. Storytelling is how we bring humanness into leadership, and into the workplace.

3:55 And this isn’t limited to leaders. Every employee, every team member, every manager, they all have stories worth telling. Stories open up a little window for the world to see who you are, what shaped you, and what matters to you.

4:09 So here’s a small takeaway for today. Recall a story a colleague or leader once shared that really resonated with you. And maybe find one of your own personal stories, one you might consider sharing with your team. Try it. It just might open new pathways in the trust equation.

4:27 Thanks for tuning in to Storytelling at Work Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, do hit Subscribe and share it with someone who might find it useful. And as always, if you’ve got a question or a storytelling challenge at work, just reach out. I’d love to hear from you.