Why Sharing Your Authentic Story Is the Most Powerful Leadership Tool You Have

This past summer I stood before a crowd of strangers in Korea and told the story I never thought I’d tell.

I had not stepped foot in my country of birth ever since being adopted at age four. In fact, for most of my life, I ignored my Korean identity entirely. I had completely assimilated into Canadian society, with no desire to learn about my cultural roots. Questions of belonging that came with my adoption became more overwhelming as the years passed, so I pushed them aside. 

The journey to my storytelling era began with a simple change in perspective. For years, I never thought anyone would want to hear from me. Why would my experiences be interesting or compelling? However, something shifted when I started asking: What if this isn't about me at all? What if my experiences could help someone else?

The realization that my storytelling is not about me unlocked something powerful.

Your Story is Your Most Powerful Leadership Tool

When I started sharing my story of being a Korean adoptee who grew up in Canada, I understood how human my experience made me. And when I told that story in Seoul, the audience was different from those at all the other talks I had previously given. Actually, something unexpected happened. 

The more I spoke, the more I saw people having extremely emotional reactions. By the end of the talk, I think two thirds of the audience was crying. Afterwards, many people told me they could relate to my experiences and were on similar quests to create a sense of belonging.

Whether they were immigrants, entrepreneurs feeling like misfits, or anyone who had ever felt out of place, my story resonated in ways I never anticipated.

The connections my story sparks continue to amaze me. Recently, while walking through an airport in Arizona, a woman from Newfoundland stopped me to say she’d been following my journey on social media for years. In another touching moment, someone reached out to say that after hearing my talk, she felt inspired to share her own story with 30 young women in India. 

These experiences remind me that storytelling isn’t about the storyteller – it's about revealing who you really are, what has shaped you, and what drives you. When we share authentically, we deepen our connections with our staff, customers, communities, and families.

Building a Story Bank Gives You Fuel for Connection

Encouraged by a fellow EO member, I created what I call a “story bank.” At first, it was intended to help me prepare for keynote speeches. But it became something far more valuable: a collection of meaningful moments that I realized were worth sharing. These weren’t just input for talks; they, too, became bridges to genuine connections at networking events, during business meetings, and in everyday conversations.

I've learned to practice telling these stories with purpose — each with a beginning, middle, and end that leads to a meaningful insight. This approach has transformed how I connect with clients, inspire my team, and build our community. 

When you can drop these stories naturally into conversations, you make a mark and often leave people wanting to know more. As an entrepreneur or leader, being memorable can make all the difference in the success of your business.

Sharing Your Story Creates Spaces of Belonging

Through sharing my story, I also discovered a profound truth about leadership: there's a crucial difference between fitting in and belonging. Fitting in requires you to change pieces of yourself to match your environment. Belonging happens when you show up exactly as you are and are accepted for your authentic self.

This distinction shapes how I approach leadership in my design firm and our community of entrepreneurial designers. I’m on a mission to create the largest design community in North America, and the majority of our members are women. When I think about why I share my story now, it’s about showing all these women from diverse backgrounds that success doesn’t require fitting a predetermined mold.

For those of you hesitating to share your stories, especially in professional settings, remember this: storytelling isn’t about broadcasting your life to the world. It’s about owning who you are and helping carve out spaces where others feel seen and understood. Ideally, it inspires others to do the same.

When I walked off that stage in Seoul, I realized something profound: The stories we’re most afraid to tell often hold the greatest power to connect, inspire, and transform not just for our audiences, but for ourselves. In my case, that day, I literally saw how my story led me to a newfound feeling of homecoming – my biological family, whom I’d never before met, was sitting in the audience.

Your story – yes, yours – has the power to lead you back to the core of who you are. It helps you understand where you came from, and, more importantly, where you’re meant to go. Along the way you’ll likely break down imposter syndrome, challenge assumptions, and issue a permission slip for someone else to share their story.

So, take that first step: Own your story. Then share it. Let the universe clear the path for you. You might be surprised by who is needing to hear exactly what you have to say.

By Sun Ah Brock, an EO member in Montreal who is an entrepreneur, public speaker, community-builder, and the CEO of LUX Decor, an award-winning full-service design studio with more than 100k+ followers across multiple social media platforms.

Photo by Canva.