Elaine:
I've personally used Executive Storytelling for over 25 years in my career in Management. There are a variety of reasons to do it.
a) It's a great way to communicate ideas, issues, and reasons for doing things a specific way without seeming to be critical or criticizing actions of the employee.
b) It's a wonderful way to show a subordinate that you are human and have faced challenges and/or opportunities, and sharing what "you" did personally to address those challenges and opportunities.
c) It's an even better way to point out foibles without critical comment; in most cases, the subordinate knows as well as you do where the story is headed, and can--and generally will-- act accordingly.
d) Moreover, it allows you to paint your leadership skills in a "human" light.
It's best used, however, by someone quite comfortable with their place in life; someone who has a fair amount of experience across a "broad-brush" of management expertise.
Hope this is helpful. If you seek additional information, I'd try either Google or Altavista with the keywords "Executive Storytelling."
Let me know if this has been helpful, or if I can assist further.
Alan Guinn, Managing Director
The Guinn Consultancy Group, Inc.