The Importance of Storytelling for Leaders with Christina Harbridge

In episode 81, Coffey talks with Christina Harbridge about storytelling as a tool for leaders to create engaging communication. They discuss the importance of authentic storytelling; the role of physiology in storytelling; the correlation between soothing mechanisms and innate talent; why leaders should engage in meaningful conversations and how to prepare for them; and the purpose of storytelling in business.

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About our Guest:

Christina Harbridge is a behaviorist who trains and coaches individuals, teams and large groups to understand and leverage their own personal operating system when dealing with others who may or may not be rational.  Christina’s early experience as founder and CEO of a debt collection agency that collected debt through unorthodox tactics (such as being nice) shaped her worldview on workplace communication. Employees focused their interactions on filling a person’s need to feel understood through emotionally literate tactics, rather than focusing on trying to collect a debt that may not even have been owed. This values-based tactic, reinforced by bonuses paid on thank-you notes received, reinvigorated the industry by resulting in collections three times higher than the industry average. The proof was in the wedding invitations.

Christina has co-authored software, built and sold a successful finance industry company, practiced acrobatic swing dancing, participated as a NASA test subject and collaborated to design and weld several large-scale metal sculptures. She has served her community on the founding boards of The Bay Lights and Emerge America. Her story is covered in more detail in Simon Sinek’s book “Start With Why,” Mike Maddock’s “Plan D,” and Maria Ross’ “Empathy Edge.”

She is the author of Swayed: How to Communicate for Impact, which reached number one on Amazon’s ‘Conflict’ category list.

Christina Harbridge can be reached at:

Book: https://www.allegoryinc.com/swayed/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-harbridge/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/charbridge 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinaharbridge/ 

Website: https://www.christinaharbridge.com

About Mike Coffey:

Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, human resources professional, licensed private investigator, and HR consultant.

In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations firm helping risk-averse companies make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.

Today, Imperative serves hundreds of businesses across the US and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.

Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence and has twice been named HR Professional of the Year.

Additionally, Imperative is included in the prestigious Best Places to Work in Texas list and has been named the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year.

Mike is a member of the Fort Worth chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and volunteers with the SHRM Texas State Council.

Mike maintains his certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute. He is also a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Mike lives in Fort Worth with his very patient wife. He practices yoga and maintains a keto diet, about both of which he will gladly tell you way more than you want to know.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Understand the principles of storytelling and its importance for leaders

2. Learn strategies to incorporate storytelling in the workplace  

3. Develop a personal approach for a successful and meaningful storytelling technique