The Magic of Storytelling: CHART Orlando Breakout Recap

As the world continues to evolve, organizations face the challenge of nurturing leaders who can inspire and drive their teams toward success. Gone are the days of authoritarian management styles that demand compliance. Instead, leaders today must foster a supportive and positive climate—one where team members feel valued and heard.

During a CHART Orlando Hospitality Training Conference workshop led by David Kreitlow, Paul Miramontes, and Matthew Steele from Wienerschnitzel, we explored learning activities that not only help establish a cooperative atmosphere, but also equip leaders with the necessary tools to thrive in their roles.

A key takeaway from the session was the stark difference between being a manager and being a leader. In the session, participants learned that leaders listen. They do not merely issue orders, expecting their subordinates to follow blindly. True leaders lead by example, building trust and fostering relationships with their team members. This creates an environment where everyone feels encouraged to contribute and grow.

One powerful exercise that exemplified this difference was the penny/water droplet activity. Participants were asked to project how many droplets of water it would take to fill the top of a penny without causing the surface tension to burst, and the water to spill over. The exercise was designed to be a metaphor for goal-setting and the concept of failing forward.

In the first round, participants projected a number without attempting the task. Interestingly, all participants vastly underestimated the number of droplets required. This revealed a common tendency to set conservative goals when uncertain about the task at hand. However, in the second round, participants were allowed to use their prior knowledge and re-attempt the exercise. Armed with a better understanding of the task, they projected more droplets and achieved far beyond their initial projections.

The takeaway here is that we all have the same equipment, but our performance can differ greatly based on the goals we set for ourselves. Setting higher goals challenges us to perform better and reach new heights. This exercise underlined the importance of goal-setting, manifestation, and confirmation bias in our personal and professional lives, as well as the importance of embracing failure as a stepping stone to success. Furthermore, it emphasized the significance of team dynamics and the strengths of individual team members. Effective team building involves understanding each member's unique abilities and utilizing them to maximize collective performance. By fostering a culture of collaboration and recognizing individual contributions, leaders can nurture a cohesive and motivated team.

During the session, we also explored the power of storytelling in the learning process. People naturally resonate with stories, and they have the ability to engage, inspire, and connect individuals on a deeper level. However, training often relies heavily on frameworks and structures. While frameworks are essential for organizing information, storytelling breathes life into ideas and programs, making them more relatable and memorable.

In conclusion, learning activities play a crucial role in developing effective leaders and cohesive teams. By creating a supportive and cooperative climate, leaders can empower their team members to perform at their best. Understanding the distinction between being a manager and being a leader is pivotal in inspiring trust and fostering growth.

Lastly, the power of storytelling should not be underestimated. By weaving narratives into learning experiences, leaders can connect with their teams on a deeper level and drive engagement and motivation.

In this rapidly changing world, organizations need leaders who can adapt, inspire, and drive progress. By leveraging the insights gained from learning activities, we can build leaders who will shape a brighter future for their teams and their organizations as a whole.