4 Storytelling Tools to Advocate for Yourself in the Workplace

When I started working at my previous job before Story2, I wasn’t given much information or instruction. I was like a deer in the headlights, not sure how I was supposed to do things nor where to find anything. The first time I went to my boss’s office with a list of questions, I saw on her door a sign that said "Please let me drop everything and work on your problem." I believe she thought it was funny, but to me it felt passive aggressive and suggested a workplace that was not collaborative or open to questions. 

Many people have stories about the lack of healthy communication at work. Sometimes we regret that we left things unsaid; other times we worry that we said too much. 

Story2 founder and CEO, Dr. Carol Barash, created the Moments Method® to help people manage high-stakes communication, including these challenging moments of doubt at work. The use of simple storytelling tools in everyday communication can be of enormous help in navigating the workplace. 

The following 4 tools can be used in either spoken or written communication to state what you are experiencing and to ask others for what you need directly: . 

☝ Use active verbs, and specific and measurable outcomes as the building blocks of each sentence.

✌ Communicate in a friendly, confident and optimistic tone, as if speaking to a trusted friend.

✌☝ Replace clichés, jargon and internal thoughts and emotions with specific details of the situation. 

✌✌ Communicate in your own voice, using the first-person "I." 

Want to practice telling stories every day?  Create a FREE Story2 account and try our DailyStory writing prompts.