Branding and Storytelling Tips for Independent Directors

Your story is your brand, after all. So here are 10 tips on storytelling that will build a powerful brand for you as an aspiring or existing Independent Director.

1) Architecting Corporate Culture: Renowned storytelling expert and my Guru, Michael Margolis says, “Culture is a sum total of stories. If you want to change a culture, change the stories.” Share stories with insights on how board decisions trickle down to shape the culture of a company. Emphasise the importance of culture in achieving long-term business goals.
2) Digital Footprint Audit: You can do a personal brand audit or digital footprint audit to understand whether the actual perception is the same as the desired perception. The audit will help you identify the gaps and take corrective action. Ensure that your digital footprint (LinkedIn articles, tweets, or mentions) aligns with your desired brand image.
3) Mentorship stories: Document your journey of mentoring someone in the corporate world. Share the co-learning in the process. Highlight the evolution, challenges, successes, and how it also transformed you as a leader.
4) Continual Learning Portfolios: Showcase a detailed portfolio of your continued learning endeavours—courses, workshops, and books. Detail how each has contributed to your directorial competencies, emphasising the mindset of a lifelong student.
5) Conduct a masterclass: Organise sessions where you dissect a significant corporate trend in detail or likely future trends. For instance, a masterclass on how the introduction of a specific regulatory change in India impacts board decisions.
6) Share Emotional Intelligence (EI) Narratives: Detail how EI plays a role in boardroom dynamics and decision-making and the importance of EQ for a leader. Share personal anecdotes where harnessing EI led to breakthroughs or prevented potential pitfalls.
7) Chronicle your Ethical Dilemmas: Delve deep into real or hypothetical ethical dilemmas. Analyse them considering Indian cultural, societal, and business norms. Such discussions not only showcase your ethical compass but also foster critical thinking among your audience.
8) Origin Stories: Begin by narrating your roots. What shaped your worldview and led you to the boardroom? This could include family influence, early challenges, or defining moments that steered your career direction.
9) Dive deep into the Characters of your stories: When sharing boardroom stories, don’t just focus on results. Delve deep into the personalities involved, their motivations, conflicts, and resolutions. This humanises the narrative and makes it more relatable for the reader.
10) Emotional Resonance: Highlight the emotional weight behind critical decisions. What negative or positive emotions were experienced during or after a decision? Sharing the emotional journey engages listeners more than just facts. Such stories will paint a holistic picture of your brand, not just as a board Director but as a thought leader and innovator in the corporate governance space in India.

Brief Profile
Dr. Amit Nagpal is a personal branding and storytelling coach. He has co-authored the Amazon bestseller “Personal Branding, Storytelling and Beyond”. He believes “Digital is Magical” and stories are the most powerful tool to build both brands and bonds. To learn more, visit www.dramitnagpal.com. Dr. Amit Nagpal, Storytelling & Personal Branding Coach, President @ Bloggers Alliance, Visiting Professor, Author & Speaker.