Don’s Thoughts

Every Great Leader is a Great Storyteller

Lead With a Story is an essential guide that helps leaders craft business narratives that captivate, convince, and inspire. The book has been instrumental in shaping how I tell stories as a leader, and Smith’s two other books, Sell With a Story and Parenting With a Story, have been equally influential in my life.

In Lead With a Story, readers learn that stories are tools not just for imparting knowledge but also for motivating behavior, making them a key resource for communicating with both your team and your clients. The book introduces 21 types of storytelling for leadership challenges, each leveling up to a larger goal: envisioning success, creating an environment for winning, energizing the team, educating people, and empowering others. Each chapter ends with a quick summary and some simple exercises to help put into practice what you learned.

We were fortunate at DLP to have Smith as a guest at our Driven for Greatness book club discussion of the book. One of the things Smith reinforced is that you don’t have to be a natural-born storyteller; storytelling is an art form, the same as playing an instrument. First, you learn the fundamentals and the techniques, then you begin practicing to improve. You don’t just one day decide to be a great storyteller and wing it.

He went on to share the top three mistakes that he sees new storytellers make.

1. Don’t use the word story. Think about the last time someone said, “Let me tell you a story.” Were you tuned in, eager to learn a lesson? Or did you have an eye-roll kind of reaction? If you’re like most people, it's probably the latter. Give the audience a reason to want to listen to what you’re about to say. “The best lesson I ever learned about X was X” can be a helpful tool here.
2. Don’t ask permission or apologize for telling stories. He made a great point: leaders don’t ask permission to lead; they just lead. Saying things like “Do you mind if I share a quick story? It won’t be long…” sends the message that what you have to share isn’t that important.
3. Keep your story between 3-5 minutes long, 5 minutes being the generous end of that. If you’re telling stories that are 15 minutes long, they’re not working—guaranteed.

We all have stories. If you’re ready to use storytelling to strengthen your leadership, start with your personal stories. One of the best places to start is the story of founding your own company. As Smith pointed out in sharing this advice with our team, nobody has ever quit their job and risked everything to start a business for a boring reason. I’m sure you certainly didn’t.

Building an Extraordinary Organization Mastermind

In April, we hosted our second Building an Extraordinary Organization Mastermind in Ponte Vedra Beach, bringing together real estate operators, investors, and leaders passionate about building mission-driven businesses. Through workshops and panel discussions, attendees learned strategies for building organizations poised to impact the world and even got the chance to preview some of the insights you’ll find in my third book, which I can’t wait to share with you.

What is always incredible to me about these events is how they bring people together, deepening the ties within the thriving DLP community of partners. At this particular event, it was an honor to introduce the community to my friend Sean Kouplen, leader of the 94X movement and CEO of Regent Bank.

If you’re unfamiliar with the 94X movement, it all started with a simple idea: as business owners, we are in a stronger position than the church to make a Kingdom impact. Why? On average, people work 160 hours per month, yet most only attend church 1.7 hours per month: people spend 94X more time at work than in church. His powerful talk, Integrating Faith and Values Into Culture was one of the most talked about of the event.

If you couldn’t join us this April—or if you have a score to settle from the pickleball tournament—save the date for our Building Thriving Communities event this November 3-4 in Ponte Vedra, FL.

Driven for Greatness: Beyond the Books

One of the reasons we started the Driven for Greatness book club at DLP is that I firmly believe that reading is an essential part of personal development and growth—for anything. Want to be a stronger leader? Read a book. A better partner? Read a book. A more present father? Read a book.

But reading isn’t the only way I seek personal development. I also spend a great deal of time learning from others. Sometimes, that’s from the leaders who make up my inner circle, sometimes, it’s from attending events, and sometimes, it’s from my own wife and children.

One of the most significant ways I learn from others is through conversations—true conversations in which I intentionally listen to the other person and not just wait for my turn to speak. With my busy schedule, I’ve found the best way to find this dedicated time is through both hosting my own podcast and being a guest on others.

Recently, I had the chance to sit down as a guest for several podcasts, some of which haven’t aired yet, including my second appearance on Generous Business Owner, a conversation with Brandon Turner and Cam Cathcart on The Better Life, and with Dr. Jim Dahle, founder of The White Coat Investor.

If it’s been a while since you’ve tuned into my Elite Impact podcast, here are some of the guests you’ve missed.

Supporting Hope International Alongside Justin Whitmel Earley

When Carla and I founded the DLP Positive Returns Foundation, we knew we wanted to prioritize relationships with non-profit organizations we fully believed in. Hope International is one such organization.

For over 25 years, they have worked tirelessly to bring Christ-centered savings groups and microfinance to underserved communities. They are driven by the simple belief that impoverished families have the God-given talents and skills to provide for their families but not the money to invest in their potential.

Their programs are powerful in helping break the cycle of poverty for families worldwide. Their savings group model is particularly noteworthy and innovative. These groups create a community that works together to contribute to a communal savings account in partnership with a local church. Just as many hands make quick work, working together to build a financial safety net allows the members to access a larger sum of money than if they were saving in isolation. Members can take out loans once a certain threshold is reached, offering a sense of security not common in impoverished communities. The model also empowers entrepreneurial minds to invest in their potential through these loans.   

This Spring, I was invited to be a panelist at their annual Dreaming Beyond Weekend in Austin, TX. I had the privilege of speaking alongside one of my favorite authors, Justin Whitmel Earley, whose book Habits of the Household has had a significant impact on my life. Sharing my insights on building an extraordinary family alongside him was an incredible experience—and great practice for this June’s event!

Extraordinary Days in New Zealand

One of the highlights of my year so far was our family’s vacation to New Zealand. We spent time in Queenstown, Dunedin, and Auckland, making unforgettable memories and adding to our extraordinary days total as we went.

If you’re unfamiliar with what I’m talking about, my family and I are committed to sharing 1,000 extraordinary days in 100 different places before our oldest son, Donny, goes to college. What makes a day extraordinary? First, every family member has to be present. Second, everyone has to agree the day was extraordinary.

While we won’t know which days from this trip will be added to the 251 we currently have in the books until we vote as a family at our end-of-year celebration, some incredible memories were made. Here are our favorites.

DISCLOSURE

Statements are those of Don Wenner/DLP Capital only and are not guaranteed, nor should such statements be relied upon. Forward-looking statements are expressions and beliefs of DLP Capital and should not be relied upon. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Nothing in this is a solicitation or offer of solicitation. All investments in any DLP Capital Sponsored Fund are to be made after review of the PPM, OA, and subscription agreement. DLP Capital is not providing tax advice. Consult your tax and legal professional before making any investment decisions.