#25: Elevate others and storytell the hell out of them
Momentum starts when others take ownership of a movement—not just you.
Derek Sivers’ TED Talk, How to Start a Movement, illustrates this perfectly. In it, a lone dancer at a festival starts grooving solo. But when a second person joins in, the first dancer does something critical: he elevates this newcomer, teaches him the moves, and transforms him into a leader. The second dancer then invites more people until a full-on movement erupts.
Watch the video here (it’s worth it!):
👉 How to Start a Movement (TED Talk)
you are the first courageous dancer.
And your earliest advocates? They’re the key to making change stick. Your job isn’t just to lead—it’s to elevate them into leaders and use the power of storytelling to spread your message.
3 EXAMPLES
how we did it at Capital One
One of the best examples of elevating others was an internal TED-style conference our larger design team hosted.
We invited internal product managers, business analysts, and designers to speak in front of large crowds.
They shared deep emotional customer stories and personal journeys of transformation.
They weren’t just participants; we turned them into champions of change.
We started the dance, but we quickly elevated others to lead it.
2. how we did it at Nike
At Nike, we helped a manufacturing team strengthen partnerships with apparel stakeholders by:
Helping them truly understand their stakeholders’ needs—without judgment.
Practicing storytelling to elevate their mission and role.
The result? They shifted from being seen as a support function to becoming strategic partners—not by talking about themselves, but by focusing on others and amplifying their stories.
3. how we did it at BP
At BP, I worked with a team that was seeing early wins with a product-led way of working.
An All Hands meeting was coming up for the 350+ person product org, and I was tapped to share my expertise. But instead of taking the stage, I pushed this (very nervous) team to tell their story.
And it resonated.
People loved hearing directly from their peers—real stories of what was working (and what wasn’t). They didn’t want a consultant preaching theory. They wanted to hear from people like them—because that’s what builds trust.
This is a powerful lesson: People don’t just need advice. They need proof from their own community that something is real.
storytelling = leadership
Storytelling isn’t just communication—it’s a leadership behavior.
Yes, you start by leading from the front so people see what good looks like. But quickly, you need to move to leading from behind—creating space for others to step up and take ownership. That’s how movements grow.
try this today
here’s how to start practicing, today.
Identify one early advocate who believes in your change. Remember #2 from Blossom in the Shadows!
Give them the mic—let them tell their story in a team meeting, showcase their success, or even run a small experiment.
Support them publicly. Highlight their work, celebrate their progress, and invite others to join in.
Start the dance—but don’t dance alone. Elevate others, and let storytelling spread the movement.
Whenever you are ready, there are 4 ways my team and I can help your organization:
Sprints: Get proof an idea will work (or not) in days or weeks. Not months or years
Coaching & Training: Equip your workforce to build more customer-focused solutions
All Hands Workshops: Turn your All Hands meetings + conferences into immediate results
Ways of Working: Launch behavior change interventions before investing significant resources