Greater than Fact: The Power of Leading with Stories

Episode notes

Guest: Paul Smith, former Procter & Gamble VP What if the most effective leaders didn’t need to explain more, push harder, or manage excuses? In this episode, host Maureen Metcalf is joined by leadership storytelling expert Paul Smith for a thought-provoking conversation about how leaders can most effectively influence behavior…and why logic alone so often fail at this. Drawing on neuroscience, leadership research, and real-world examples, Paul explains why people don’t change simply because they understand more, and how stories fill that need by helping leaders create accountability without blame, pressure, or defensiveness. You’ll learn: Why accountability works best when it’s chosen , not enforced; How emotion—not logic—drives decisions and follow-through; Why stories replace lecturing as a leadership tool; How leaders can reduce defensiveness while raising standards; and What the real test of leadership is when you’re not in the room. This is not an episode about storytelling as a communication technique. It’s about storytelling as a behavior-change lever…and a more human, sustainable way to lead.