I got a voicemail yesterday from the Executive Director of one of the charitable organizations that I donate to.

And she did something pretty unusual.

A dog was found by hunters far out in the woods of North Carolina, she said, and the organization was working on the case right now.  When the hunters found the pup, it was submerged in mud up to its chest.  Upon extraction, they found a dog with a severely damaged foot.  And although they brought her to the local shelter, there was no help to be found due to very limited resources.  Which is where the Executive Director’s organization stepped in.  The was dog arriving today, she said, and will go straight to a veterinarian and likely have surgery.

They call this a medical intervention, and it gives dogs like this a second chance at life.

She thanked me for being part of their team.

If you are not doing this, if you are not telling story and connecting people to the meaning and impact of their work and contributions – your team members, the Board, stakeholders you are trying to bring along, as examples – you are missing one of the most effective and powerful tools for motivation and influence.

New Offering!  Skilled Storytelling is one of the 8 topics that I’ll be covering in the brand new Authoritative Influence℠ Mastermind which begins in April.  If you are leading bigger initiatives than ever before under a brighter spotlight – or preparing to – this cohort is designed to give you the tools and understanding to become a practitioner of Authoritative Influence and build momentum and a robust coalition, create a strategic influence map, defuse detractors, not get tripped up by the most common landmines, and see your high stakes initiatives cross the finish line.  You’ll be in the company of like-minded, forward-thinking peers who are doing the same in their organizations.  Maximum 10 participants, virtual monthly meetings in addition to access to me.  To apply, email me immediately: sarah@sarah-levitt.com.  This will fill quickly.

New Keynote!  Due to the popularity of this topic, I’ve created a brand new keynote on Authoritative Influence.  Go here to view the description.  For booking information for your corporate event, leadership team off site, or association conference, go here to contact me.  Customized content.  Never canned.