Finding Brave 318: How Organizations Need to Change Their Narrative In Challenging Times
Everybody wants to believe in something, but the truth is, if you're a leader who shies away from asking tough questions, you're making it harder for people to believe in you. In this Finding Brave episode, we are joined by Matthew Pollard, known as the Rapid Growth Guy and storytelling expert responsible for five multi-million dollar business success stories. He is the author of The Introvert's Edge and has been featured in Forbes and listed by Global Gurus as one of the Top 30 Sales Professionals. In this conversation, we explore what it truly means to lead through authentic, compelling story, not spin. Matthew unpacks how great leaders don't just communicate vision; they shape a living narrative that helps their people see themselves in it. From uncovering the real problems beneath the surface, to crafting stories that evolve and help scale growth through the organization, Matthew shares a framework for growth rooted in empathy, iteration, and truth. We discuss how data can illuminate emotion, why so few leaders understand the why behind disengagement within their teams and workforces, and how fear often blocks the path to authenticity. Ultimately, Matthew shows that leadership isn't about control; it's about giving your people something real to believe in.
In today's economy, leaders owe it to their teams to inspire growth and risk-taking, challenge the status quo, and use the power of a compelling story playbook to unite everyone behind a shared purpose they're proud to support.
Key Highlights From This Episode:
- The role of leaders in shaping a strong narrative within their organizations. [04:00]
- Matthew's method of supporting leaders to identify key problems and tell their story. [06:52]
- How stories grow in impact through iteration and an organization-wide playbook. [13:58]
- Using data points as a strategic tool to understand people's emotions. [19:20]
- Why there often a gap in knowledge about the emotional reasons employees leave an organization. [25:20]
- Understanding how crucial it is to lead with humanity and empathy. [29:18]
- How Matthew deals with a fearful response leaders have to creating authentic experiences. [34:43]
- What it looks like to give your people something they can truly believe in. [38:35]
For More Information:
Matthew PollardThe Introvert's EdgeMatthew Pollard on LinkedInMatthew Pollard on InstagramMatthew Pollard on X
Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Episode 69 with Matthew Pollard: 7 Ways to Leverage Your Introvert Edge in BusinessEpisode 159, where Kathy and Matthew discuss Networking: The Introvert's Edge to Networking
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Quotes:
"As leaders, we need to inspire people to not just be extrinsically motivated, but intrinsically motivated." — @matthewpollard_ [0:04:59]
"A lot of times, people don't know the problems that they have until they see things slightly differently." — @matthewpollard_ [0:06:57]
"People remember up to 22 times more information when embedded into a story, so because of that, you can actually anchor to these stories so people actually walk away remembering more." — @matthewpollard_ [0:10:45]
"Because somebody comes up with a bad idea the first time, they then get hammered for it and then they're too scared to bring up another idea the next time." — @matthewpollard_ [0:22:41]
"If you want to stay a senior leader and you want to make sure that you're always on the edge, you need to introduce more humanity into what you do." — @matthewpollard_ [0:31:56]
"If you're not willing to take risks to get somebody to start to build momentum, then your organization is just going to fade." — @matthewpollard_ [0:36:33]
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