Leadership Communication: Why Every Leader Needs a Credential Story
- Stephanie Bickel
- Jul 17
- 2 min read
by Stephanie Bickel
What a Credential Story Can Do for You
A strong story can do what facts alone can’t: build trust, create connection, and position you as the obvious choice.
When you share a story that demonstrates your experience, your thinking, and your results, you do more than inform, you inspire confidence.
What does a Credential Story really get you?
Get Hired
Maggie, Head of Talent Management, once told the story of building a 200-person sales team that helped her company hit $1 billion in annual revenue. That story didn’t just show her accomplishments, it showed her leadership style and strategic thinking. It earned her a global talent lead role for a Fortune 200 company.
Win a New Client
Max, a Managing Director at an investment bank, shared a story about orchestrating a sales process that delivered a 34X valuation, the highest ever in that sector. It wasn’t a brag. It was proof of expertise, told with clarity and confidence. He walked out with the client and a hug from the CEO.
Secure Investment
Vinod, presenting to an Executive Leadership Team, opened with a story about a peer company’s recent mistake and what he would have done differently. Then he asked for more budget. He got it.
When Do You Need a Credential Story?
Interviewing – This is how you show what makes you different.
Selling Products and Services – This is how you demonstrate value.
Asking for Financial Investment – This is how you make people believe the return is worth it.
Why It Works
A Credential Story does more than showcase your achievements. It reveals how you think, how you decide, and the results you create. It shifts you from being a voice in the room to being the trusted advisor.
And the best stories? They don’t sound rehearsed. They sound natural, tailored, and designed for the moment.
Ready to craft your own?
Inside Speak by Design University, we help leaders uncover, shape, and deliver the stories that set them apart. We’ll work with you to identify your strongest experiences, structure them for impact, and deliver them with confidence so every story earns you the next opportunity.
