Storytelling in Leadership: Culture and Community

I'm Morgan, a public educator since 2005, an Apple Distinguished Educator, an Apple Learning Coach, and currently serve as the Director of Instructional Technology in Richardson ISD, just north of Dallas, TX. It is a privilege to lead a team of 10 specialists as we support a district with roughly 5,000 staff, 37,000 students, and 50 campuses. In an organization of this size, where we are both one district and also 50 amazing and unique communities, storytelling is an essential leadership skill that unites us and showcases strengths.

How can storytelling serve as a leadership superpower for building culture and community?

In any organization, communication can become transactional - focused on logistics, information, and directives. In education especially, leadership is more than managing people, information, and systems, it's about inspiring people and engaging with a community, both inside and outside of the building. This is where storytelling becomes a superpower.

Why storytelling?

Storytelling allows leaders to move beyond sharing information and into connecting, inspiring, and engaging. When we tell stories about a teacher who tried something new and saw an increase in engagement, or a student who overcame a challenge, we create emotional connections. These stories remind us of the real people in our buildings and our shared purpose, and help others visualize their own place and progress in the organization.

Research supports storytelling as a superpower - stories activate more areas of the brain than information alone. Stories engage our emotions, foster empathy, and make messages more memorable. As leader, when we share stories we model vulnerability, celebrate growth, and reinforce the cultures and behaviors we want to see. Storytelling is not just a communication strategy, it is a culture building strategy!

In my organization, storytelling is a powerful way to spotlight the unique strengths and identities of each campus. With 50 schools, each with its own culture, community, and voice, stories help us celebrate what makes each one special while reinforcing our shared mission as one district. They connect students, families, staff, and even prospective families to the heart of who we are, individually and together.

I’ve often heard the saying, “If you don’t tell your own story, someone else will.” That rings especially true in education. When we don’t actively shape the narrative, others will fill in the gaps. People naturally form opinions based on limited information. Without context, those perceptions can be shaped by outdated assumptions, misinformation, or incomplete snapshots. Storytelling gives us the opportunity to lead with authenticity, clarity, and purpose. It ensures that the story being told reflects the present reality and the future we’re building together.

Storytelling is an effective strategy both internally and externally. Even in the same organization, when everyone is focused on their work, their students, their role... it can be hard to know what is going on around you. Working in technology, I see this firsthand. There are many misconceptions around how technology is used by teachers and students, what resources students have access to, and even the work of the team I lead. We actively spotlight, highlight, and tell positive stories straight from the classroom to clarify those misunderstandings and questions, and we support our campuses in sharing those with their communities as well. We capture visual media during engaging professional learning experiences so that educators know what they can expect from a learning opportunity with Instructional Technology. When we coach teachers, we encourage them to capture visual media and tell stories about their own successes, challenges, and lessons learned. In having teachers share their own stories, it celebrates their own growth and tells a positive story for their campus to their community, it highlights the behind the scenes support from our department, promotes our vision for technology use, and sparks curiosity in other educators. WOW! That IS a superpower.

Strategies and Opportunities for Storytelling

There are many avenues for storytelling, and adding media can add impact to your story. Consider how you might use existing platforms and opportunities such as newsletters, parent communication platforms, and social media. While there will always be a need to communicate information, what opportunities exist to also tell stories? How can you crowdsource this by having teachers, parents, PTA, and students submit and share stories for these platforms? Technology provides us amazing opportunities to include media. We have access to capture photo, video, and even voice. While photo and video are great ways to enhance a story, don't overlook the power of voice. Capturing a student's voice is an incredible way to tell a story and I challenge you to find anyone who doesn't want to hear a story straight from one of our learners! Maybe a campus podcast where students and teachers share what's happening on campus could be a way to connect with the larger community, using storytelling.

Not sure what stories exist or where to start? Try starting meetings with a story. We use this strategy in our weekly team meetings. Sometimes it is a hard lesson learned, and more often than not, it is a celebration that sets a positive and hopeful tone for the work ahead.

Storytelling isn't just a leadership skill. It is a daily practice that shapes culture and connects people to a purpose. As leaders, the stories we tell can inspire action, foster belonging, and remind our communities why our work matters, and how they can support us. What story will you tell today to inspire connection and growth?