STORY AS STRATEGY COURSES
STORY AS STRATEGY
Designed for leaders responsible for guiding strategic change, participants will create and test two strategic narratives: one grounded in the current change imperative, and one defining a shared vision of the future.
You have a strategy. You may even have a solid plan. So why does momentum for change still feel slow, uneven, or difficult to sustain?
In many schools, the challenge isn’t vision or commitment — it’s that the strategy hasn’t fully taken hold with people. Story is one of the most powerful tools leaders have to bridge that gap, turning strategic intent into shared understanding, commitment, and action.
The Story as Strategy series supports leaders in using story deliberately — not as inspiration alone, but as a core leadership practice for guiding change. Across three courses, participants move from clarifying a strategic change agenda, to understanding how that change lives in people and communities, to articulating a compelling story of the future.
Course 1: The Power of Storytelling in Change Leadership focuses on defining the change imperative and using story to anchor strategy in purpose and lived experience.
Course 2: Connecting Community and Action through Story centers the human side of change — beginning with the leader and expanding to the community, so the work is grounded in identity, relationships, and shared narratives.
Course 3: Story of Future, Crafting a Shared Vision looks forward, supporting leaders in crafting vision and future stories that help communities imagine what’s possible and move toward it together.
The series culminates in a future-facing narrative that connects strategy, people, and possibility: a story leaders can use immediately to build coherence, commitment, and momentum for meaningful change.
Digital Badge and Certificate
Participants who successfully complete the series earn a Story as Strategy Certificate, awarded through a Public Demonstration of Learning.
The certificate recognizes demonstrated capability in:
Leadership and Social Influence: using story to build understanding, alignment, and momentum for change.
Strategic Narrative Design: crafting purposeful narratives that connect strategy, people, and future direction.
Story as Strategy Courses
A 3-Part Series: Discover The Power of Story Win People Over & Help Move Your Vision Forward
The Power of Story in Change Leadership
$125 | Time To Complete: X hours
-
Strategic change depends not only on clear vision, but on whether others understand the direction, see its relevance, and feel connected to the work. Without coherence between strategy, purpose, and communication, even well-designed change efforts struggle to gain traction.
In The Power of Storytelling, participants use story as a leadership tool to strengthen how change is articulated and understood. The course combines narrative practice with strategic reflection, supporting leaders in clarifying their change agenda. The course explores how leaders can use storytelling to clarify purpose, connect strategy to lived experience, and create coherence at the outset of a change effort. Participants analyze the challenges they are navigating, reflect on the stories shaping their leadership practice, and examine how personal narratives influence the way change is understood and led.
By the end of the course, participants articulate a clear change strategy and develop an origin story that anchors that strategy in meaning, experience, and leadership intent—creating a strong foundation for the work that follows.
-
This course is for educators leading strategic change who want their strategy to make sense to others—and to be communicated in ways that build clarity, alignment, and commitment.
-
Introduction to Story as Change Framework
Topic Topic 1: Why Lead with Story?
Topic 2: Strategy Drives Change
Topic 3: Clarifying Your Strategic Change Imperative
Topic 4: Exploring Your Origin Story
-
A framework for articulating the relationship between strategy, change and storytelling
Guided reflection activities, including AI-supported reflection
A workbook in which they will build their change agenda and origin story
Access to course materials and resources
What’s Next: Take this course: Connecting Community and Action through Story
The Power of Story in Change Leadership
$125
Course Description:
Strategic change depends not only on clear vision, but on whether others understand the direction, see its relevance, and feel connected to the work. Without coherence between strategy, purpose, and communication, even well-designed change efforts struggle to gain traction.
In The Power of Storytelling, participants use story as a leadership tool to strengthen how change is articulated and understood. The course combines narrative practice with strategic reflection, supporting leaders in clarifying their change agenda. The course explores how leaders can use storytelling to clarify purpose, connect strategy to lived experience, and create coherence at the outset of a change effort. Participants analyze the challenges they are navigating, reflect on the stories shaping their leadership practice, and examine how personal narratives influence the way change is understood and led.
By the end of the course, participants articulate a clear change strategy and develop an origin story that anchors that strategy in meaning, experience, and leadership intent—creating a strong foundation for the work that follows.
Who should take this course?
This course is for educators leading strategic change who want their strategy to make sense to others—and to be communicated in ways that build clarity, alignment, and commitment.
What will you walk away with?
The asset you will develop through this course is
A clearly articulated strategic change imperative
A personal origin story that anchors that change in lived experience and purpose
Connection points between strategy, change and narrative purpose
A deeper understanding of how story functions as a leadership and change tool
The skills you will develop in this course include the ability to
Align strategy, story and change
Define and articulate a compelling strategic change imperative
Use story as a strategic tool to clarify and communicate change
Connect personal narrative to leadership practice
Participants will receive:
A framework for articulating the relationship between strategy, change and storytelling
Guided reflection activities, including AI-supported reflection
A workbook in which they will build their change agenda and origin story
Access to course materials and resources
Course Breakdown
Introduction to Story as Change Framework
Topic Topic 1: Why Lead with Story?
Topic 2: Strategy Drives Change
Topic 3: Clarifying Your Strategic Change Imperative
Topic 4: Exploring Your Origin Story
Time Commitment: Estimated time to completion is X hours.
What’s Next: Take this course: Connecting Community and Action through Story
Connecting Community and Action through Story
$125
Course Description:
Even when a change strategy is clear, momentum depends on whether people see themselves in the work. Change becomes difficult to sustain when the change centers only on plans and outcomes, rather than lived experience, shared meaning, and community identity.
In this course, participants focus on how change lives in people—starting with the leader and expanding to the community. Through structured reflection and narrative development, participants explore their own experiences, surface community narratives, and examine how those stories shape understanding, belonging, and action for change. Story is used as a leadership practice to connect personal meaning, collective identity, and strategic direction.
By the end of the course, participants craft a coherent, shareable narrative that explains the change they are leading, why it matters, and how their community belongs in it.
Who should take this course?
This course is for educators responsible for guiding strategic change who want to strengthen how they communicate purpose, build community connection, and foster shared ownership of the work.
What will you walk away with?
The asset you will develop through this course is a Community Centered Change Narrative which will include
A springboard moment that invites others into the change
Reflections on leadership meaning shaped by lived experience
Insights drawn from community narratives, including dominant and missing stories
A coherent narrative that explains the change, why it matters, and how the community belongs in it
The skills you will develop in this course include the ability to
Use storytelling to integrate self, community, and strategic direction in change efforts
Frame change in ways that foster belonging and shared purpose
Craft personal narratives that resonate with diverse audiences
Build collective identity through community narratives
Participants will receive
Tools for identifying springboard moments and community narratives
Structured activities for sensemaking and meaning-making, including AI-supported reflection
A workbook of activities that culminate in a change narrative grounded in community
Access to course materials and resources
Course Breakdown
Overview of Course 1
Topic 1: The Springboard Story
Topic 2: Experience as Meaning Making
Topic 3: Building Collective Identity through Community Narratives
Topic 4: Crafting the Story of Change
An additional optional topic is provided for learners who have not take Course 1: The Power of Storytelling in Change Leadership or for learners who wish to develop a new change agenda before crafting their community-based personal narrative.
Time Commitment: Estimated time to completion is X hours.
What’s Next: Take this course: Story of the Future: Crafting a Shared Vision
Story of the Future: Crafting a Shared Vision
$125
Course Description:
Even when a change is clearly defined and grounded in community, leaders still face a critical challenge: helping others imagine what success looks like. Without a shared picture of the future, change efforts can lose energy, urgency, and direction.
Who should take this course?
This course is for educators responsible for leading strategic change who want to articulate a compelling vision of the future that motivates commitment and guides collective action.
What will you walk away with?
The asset you will develop through this course is a Vision Story which will include
A clear description of a desired future state connected to the change strategy
A narrative arc that shows how the future builds from the present
A compelling explanation of why this future matters and what it makes possible
An inspiring picture of the future that creates collective understanding
The skills you will develop in this course include the ability to
Use storytelling to articulate vision and future direction
Engage audiences around a shared picture of what’s possible
Reflect forward to imagine outcomes and implications of change
Inspire commitment and action through future-focused narrative
Participants will receive
Future Search storytelling frameworks and prompts
A workbook of protocols to engage your community and build your Vision Story
Guided reflection activities, including AI-supported reflection
Access to course materials and resources
Course Breakdown
Time Commitment: Estimated time to completion is X hours.