How to Use Storytelling to Enhance Professional Ties

Back in the day, the smartest, savviest entrepreneurs told jokes and stats. Today, they’re telling stories. Why? Because stories stick. ‣ They're easy to remember. ‣ They make an emotional connection. ‣ They inspire. Think about it: ‣ Nike doesn't sell shoes. It sells heroes. ‣ Apple doesn't sell tech. It sells creativity. ‣ Tesla doesn't sell cars. It sells innovation. All through the power of storytelling. And listen, you don't need to have a heroic adventure to tell a good story. ✅ Tell your why. ✅ Tell your struggles to make it your business. ✅ Tell your successes that came after from many defeats. I saw the impact of this in real time during a recent networking event. I was on a panel and gave a brief introduction of myself. The attendees were somewhat interested, but I wouldn’t say they truly cared. They had no reason to root for me. Then, I was asked about my role as a keynote speaker. I told them about my most popular keynote, The Resilience Roadmap. I shared how it was based on various challenges I’ve experienced over the past 10 years which include battling alcohol addiction, unemployment and losing my son. That’s when the attendees really took notice, and that's when they began rooting for me. I wasn’t just the guy who did a bunch of stuff, I was the guy who highlighted the transformative power of resilience. It’s been three days since that event and people are still messaging me about it. And, oddly enough, they’re also asking me to remind them what I do again. So don’t make the same mistake I did, whether it be in person or online. Don’t just share what you do, share the journey you’ve been on as well. People will remember your story, it forms a connection. And people give you opportunities when they feel connected to you. So, are you ready to share your story?

Some executives inspire action. Others get ignored. Why? Because facts fade. Stories stick. After a 1-minute pitch, Stanford research found: ⟶ 5% recalled a statistic ⟶ 63% remembered the stories Here’s how storytelling can reshape your career: Too often, leaders default to data dumps: ⟶ Dense board decks ⟶ Endless bullet points in team updates ⟶ Info overload in all-hands meetings The result? Information is shared—impact is lost. After a career in corporate communications, I know firsthand how storytelling makes the message stick. Here are four ways to bring your messages to life with narrative: 🟡 Board Meetings ⟶ Don’t just share quarterly results—frame them as a journey: What challenge did you overcome? What shifted? ⟶ When outlining strategy, position it as the next chapter in a larger story. People engage with progress they can visualize. 🟡 Team Communications ⟶ Go beyond status updates—share moments of resilience, creativity, or lessons learned. ⟶ Instead of reciting company values, illustrate them with real team examples that people remember. 🟡 Customer Presentations ⟶ Open with a real customer journey: their pain point, your partnership, and the change they experienced. ⟶ Before/after stories make transformation tangible—more than any stat ever could. 🟡 Change Management ⟶ Paint a picture of the future state so people see themselves in it—not just the steps to get there. ⟶ Share your own experience navigating change to build empathy and trust. ↓ ↓ Want to start? 1/ Look for the human impact inside your metrics 2/ Use a simple structure: beginning, conflict, resolution 3/ Practice with small stories—in meetings, Slack, or 1:1s 4/ Always end with a clear shift or takeaway Facts inform, but stories move people. Try adding one story to your next presentation using these ideas—then watch what changes. P.S. Have you used any of these approaches already? I’d love to hear what worked. ♻ Repost to help your network lead with more story. (Research: Jennifer Aaker, Stanford GSB)

What do Steve Jobs, Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan and Martin Luther King, Jr, have in common? They’ve all been known as world class communicators. Their speeches and writings are timeless. Their craft inspired action and changed the world in some cases - "I have a dream ...". There is also a new generation of leaders in tech, governments and social mediums who are taking the techniques of previous generations to the next level. Have you listened to deep tech explained in layman’s terms by Jensen Huang’s in yearly keynotes? The leadership lessons narrated by Simon Sinek. Or the passionate Jessica O Mathews on sustainability for a better future? These famous folks have something else in common: they are great story tellers. And that is because us, humans seek an emotional connection, even when dealing with facts, numbers and abstract content. So, is story telling important in tech? I believe the answer is a resounding yes, now more than ever when most people we lead grew with social media and a phone in their hands. As a leader, effective communications aligns organizations behind a common goal, generates rapport, builds trust, and encourages collaboration. Here is what I’ve learned over the last few year and try to apply almost every day as I communicate with my team, peers, and managers: -             Know your audience: it will help you to tailor the level of detail and make the content relevant and digestible. -             Set context: take the opportunity to level set as not everyone comes at the “table” with the same knowledge. -             State your purpose: what is the goal, or intent? Are you informing, brainstorming, asking for input or a decision. -             The props: use slides to support your points (with data) rather than narrate your presentation.   -             The cues: pay attention to the body language of your audience. You may to stop and questions, use a different tone if the audience has reached for the phone. -             Tell a story: ideally your story to connect on an emotional level and build trust. People will mostly remember how you made them feel. -             Conclude with a call to action: rather than thanking someone, have an ask for the audience: learn more, act. Most of what I recommend applies to both to written as well as presentations (in person or virtual). Personally, I have more work to do in becoming an effective communicator. I've been fortunate to have good coaches in Lauren Maginness, Karl Wong, Cindi Christian. And to be honest, at times I am inconsistent and fail to take my own advice, however I am working on my own craft, and it is part of my development plan as a teammate, leader, human being. #leadership #effectivecommunication