Stories are one of the most powerful tools we have for creating connection, communicating values, and influencing others. But finding the right story — and the right way to tell it — takes practice.

In this interactive workshop, Dr. Howard Stribbell and Diana Hu McDowell explore how storytelling can help educators and leaders communicate with greater authenticity, build trust, and connect more meaningfully with their communities.

Drawing from their own experiences using storytelling professionally — and plenty of trial and error along the way — Howard and Diana will share what they’ve learned about finding an authentic professional voice and using personal stories with purpose.

By the End of the Workshop, Participants Will Be Able To:

• Identify a personal experience that communicates a professional value, lesson, or insight.
• Shape that experience into a clear, compelling 2-minute story using a simple storytelling structure.
• Decide what to include — and what to leave out — to make a story authentic without becoming overly personal.
• Connect their story to a professional purpose, audience, or message.
• Practice delivering their 2-minute story and receive feedback from a partner.
• Identify one way they can use storytelling in their work — whether in a presentation, classroom, leadership conversation, parent meeting, or professional setting.