Podcast

Paul Morton

#479: How to Craft Effective Leadership Narratives Using the S.O.A.R. Story Structure

Any legitimate storytelling consultant or coach works from proven story structures.

We, of course, train the three-word And, But, Therefore, or ABT framework to make your messages land right the first time, every time.

The ABT leads to the second story structure we teach, the five primal elements of a short story for big impact. These are the elements of compelling anecdotes that make your business points for you.

These two frameworks are used in the 10-step Story Cycle System™ to help transform your presentations and long-form communications into experiences that transport your audience.

Today, you’ll learn the S.O.A.R. story framework developed by our guest, Paul Morton, to craft effective leadership narratives.

He authored the new book, Hidden Tradecraft of Elite Managers: Unveiling Second-Nature Skills for Remarkable Performance.

Paul is the CEO of the Practical Leadership Academy and a seasoned leader in B2B SaaS and corporate learning.

He tackles a critical issue: most managers are ‘accidental’ leaders—promoted for technical skills, not leadership. This often perpetuates bad practices they’ve experienced, continuing the cycle.

Paul’s mission is to break this cycle with a ‘minimum effective dose’ approach—delivering the biggest impact with the least effort.

Through his Academy and podcast, he offers practical, no-nonsense strategies rooted in servant leadership, where making others successful is the ultimate goal.

If you’re looking to elevate your management team’s skills without pulling them out of the field, Paul’s insights are exactly what you need.

He’s here to help you build a high-performing, effective team that excels in today’s fast-paced environment.

Takeaways:

Storytelling is a powerful tool in leadership, helping to convey messages and engage teams.
Servant leadership is based on “agape,” a selfless love for others.
The SOAR template (Situation, Obstacle, Action, Result) can be used as a story structure for leadership development. The SOAR framework (Situation, Obstacle, Action, Result) is a useful tool for effective storytelling and communication.
Adding specific details to a story will engage the theater of the mind and make you more memorable.
Focusing on the audience and understanding their needs and motivations is crucial in leadership and communication.