Positive benefits of sharing stories at work highlighted in Henley research

Tuesday, 30 January 2018

Research author, Dr Penny Moore.

Sharing personal stories in the workplace may improve both leadership and team dynamics, suggests research by Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Dr Penny Moore, at Henley Business School. 

Penny is investigating the potential benefits of sharing personal stories at work, which include humanising the leader and helping team members better understand each other.

To date, Penny has interviewed 70 CEOs and senior leaders as part of her research, including some of the most influential figures in the UK –  a diverse mix of men, women, chairs, founders, entrepreneurs and CEOs from both the private and charity sectors, all with impressive leadership experience.

Among those interviewed include former Dragon’s Den stars James Caan and Richard Farleigh, and Sir Michael Eavis, founder of Glastonbury Festival.

Others who contributed to Penny’s research include former head of the British Army Sir Peter Wall, ITV chairman Sir Peter Bazalgette and Mohed Altrad, born in the Syrian desert and now a billionaire businessman. 

From the charity sector, Penny interviewed CEOs from bodies including Samaritans, Stonewall, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund, as well as the Time to Change campaign and the chair of Children in Need.

The research

The research focuses on the connection between the personal stories that shaped the lives of these leading figures, and the extent to which they might share these types of personal life experiences at work.

The types of stories leaders shared have included childhood memories, family stories, stories of self-doubt, difficult life experiences, and personal and professional triumphs and tribulations.  

Summarising her research, Dr Penny Moore, said:

“We have a natural curiosity to want to know about the lives of other people, where they’ve come from, the experiences that have shaped them, and what we might have in common – this is particularly true when that person is a senior figure like our boss.” 

“Storytelling is a natural and powerful mechanism humans use to understand and bond with one another. My research suggests that in the right contexts, sharing personal stories, especially when they reveal a level of vulnerability, might help humanise a leader and increase empathy, social connection, and support.” 

One of the main findings to emerge from the research so far is the extent to which senior leaders did in fact report sharing personal stories with colleagues. The study has shown that story-sharing is common, even in corporate settings.

Many of the leaders interviewed spoke about sharing personal stories at work, and about the importance of being seen as ‘open’ and ‘human’ by their employees.

In the context of teams, sharing personal stories can promote a deeper and stronger understanding of an individual colleague, providing valuable insight into their motivations, struggles and values – information that may well influence how the team functions as a whole.

However, Penny points out that it is still important to get the balance right when it comes to telling stories – it is important not to overshare, as well as making sure that the context of material is appropriate. 

Penny’s work is still in progress, and is set to end later this year.  

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