Stories are our past, our present and our future. Each generation of our forefathers has presented a story to be shared with the next generation so that history can be told again, and the present can be shared with the future. Stories are a means of preserving our heritage and are also a means of communicating and sharing our humanity and a means to connect with each other.

Storytelling is also a critical part of persuasion and influence. Some of the greatest storytellers are able to bring disparate people from all walks of life to come together to listen to the story and create change. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech is simply a man with a story of the future; yet that speech has inspired millions to take action. As attorneys, negotiators, and mediators, we can use stories to help us to persuade, convince, explain, and guide people to a better place.

There are several types of stories that attorneys can use to communicate and persuade. One of the first stories that attorneys must develop to help persuade another party are stories about themselves. In order for a person to believe your position, they need to believe in you. Stories allow people to gain an insight into what makes you work. People are more connected if they know each other’s history. If that history reveals an imperfection, that connection can get even closer. For example, J.K. Rowling publicly presents her story as a failure; she failed in life’s pursuits before writing her first Novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Her honest portrayal of her failure makes her human, makes her someone like us, and makes her no longer a multi-billionaire successful author, but instead a woman who has experienced life’s tribulations, just like us. As attorneys, people need to trust you first before they can believe you. Your story can be an important part of creating that trust.

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