059: "Can Storytelling Be Your Most Underrated Leadership Skill?" ft. Kim Willis
In this episode, Erik sits down with Kim Willis, a speaker coach and story mentor who helps founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs reclaim their voice by getting radically honest about the stories they tell—and the ones they avoid. In this conversation, Kim shares how years of being a high-performing communicator eventually led him to disconnection, what it took to find his way back, and why story isn’t just a tool for influence—it’s a path to self-recovery, alignment, and leadership that actually lands.
👤 About the Guest
Kim Willis is a story strategist, speaker coach, and creative mentor known for helping leaders become more truthful, resonant, and embodied through their storytelling. With a background in performance, corporate facilitation, and brand consulting, Kim now works at the intersection of personal narrative, leadership presence, and nervous system awareness, guiding clients to lead not just with polish—but with presence.
🧭 Conversation Highlights
- Why “good on paper” storytelling often falls flat
- The cost of leading with a polished persona instead of your full self
- How nervous system awareness makes you a better communicator
- Why some people lead louder when they feel less secure
- Kim’s turning point: from performance-driven storytelling to embodied truth
- Story as a path to healing—not just influence
- Letting go of frameworks to find your real voice on stage
💡 Key Takeaways
- Storytelling is leadership. The stories we tell—about who we are, what matters, and where we’re going—are shaping every room we walk into.
- You can’t lead others from a place you’ve abandoned in yourself. If you’re disconnected from your own story, people will feel it.
- Polish without presence is noise. The most magnetic leaders aren’t the most practiced—they’re the most honest.
- The body keeps the story. Nervous system regulation isn’t extra—it’s foundational to telling resonant stories and holding space.
- There’s no story without risk. If your story doesn’t cost you something, it’s probably not the one you’re meant to lead from.
❓ Questions That Mattered
- “What story are you still trying to perform that no longer feels true?”
- “How do you speak from your body—not just your branding?”
- “What happens when your story is over—but you’re still trying to lead from it?”
- “Can you hold power without being performative?”
- “How do we invite more truth into the way we show up as leaders?”
🗣️ Notable Quotes
“I used to get hired for how I could hold a room. Now I get invited in for how I can hold a truth.”
“Leadership is a storytelling game—but the most compelling stories are the ones you’re still living.”
“People feel you before they believe you. That’s nervous system storytelling.”
“When I dropped the polished version, the real work—and real connection—started.”
“I’m not here to give people their voice back. I’m here to help them stop leaving it behind.”
🔗 Links & Resources
- Kim Willis Website: https://casestudymonkey.com/
- Kim's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimjwillis/
