CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MIT Sloan Executive Education today announced the launch of “Leading Through Storytelling: The Human Advantage in the Age of AI,” a new course that teaches leaders how to develop and deliver compelling stories that communicate vision, make complex ideas more accessible, and motivate audiences to take action. The program will explore the key elements of effective storytelling and how leaders can apply them to real-world business and leadership challenges.

This two-day, in-person program, taking place on MIT’s campus from October 15-16, will examine how storytelling can help leaders navigate change, build culture, influence stakeholders, and communicate with greater clarity and impact. As AI transforms how work gets done and how information is created and shared, the course will also explore how leaders can use AI to support their storytelling. That process will involve course participants looking closely at where human experience, judgment, reflection, and critical thinking remain essential.

Led by Shira Springer, Senior Lecturer in Managerial Communication at the MIT Sloan School of Management, the course is designed for senior executives, emerging leaders, and professionals seeking to strengthen their communication and leadership capabilities, including:

  • Leaders guiding organizations through AI adoption, transformation, or periods of uncertainty who need to communicate change and build alignment
  • Executives and team leaders responsible for securing buy-in, influencing stakeholders, and communicating strategic priorities across diverse audiences
  • Professionals looking to strengthen executive presence, increase engagement, and develop more authentic connections across increasingly digital and distributed workplaces

“As AI rapidly transforms workplaces, changing how we work and how we work together, the ability to connect with people is an increasingly powerful leadership skill,” said Springer. “Through storytelling, leaders can memorably connect. Storytelling helps leaders build trust, inspire action, communicate complex ideas with greater clarity, and explain what lies behind critical decisions. The most effective storytellers do that while spotlighting and valuing uniquely human experiences.”

Throughout the course, participants will experiment with different narrative techniques and frameworks, get opportunities to practice with a variety of storytelling exercises, and revise stories designed to address real leadership challenges. Participants will also think critically about why different stories and different storytelling strategies resonate strongly. The course will culminate in a Storytelling Showcase. The showcase will give participants the chance to share stories they developed during the program and receive feedback from a global executive audience.

By the end of the course, participants will know how to:

  • Craft authentic stories from personal and professional experiences using practical frameworks for substance, structure, and style
  • Apply storytelling techniques to real-world leadership challenges, including navigating change, inspiring teams, securing buy-in, and influencing stakeholders
  • Build a portfolio of workplace-ready stories with a repeatable process for creating compelling narratives

To learn more or enroll in this course, please click here.

About MIT Sloan Executive Education
MIT Sloan Executive Education’s non-degree executive programs are led by senior MIT Sloan faculty and provide business professionals worldwide with a targeted and flexible means to advance their career development goals and position their organizations for future growth. The cutting-edge leadership training includes more than 90 short courses, executive certificates, online courses, custom programs for organizations, and the flagship Advanced Management Program.

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