Author: Christian 'Boo' Boucousis
“No doubt about it, the best speakers are good storytellers. The best writers are good storytellers, the best leaders are good storytellers, and the best teachers and trainers and coaches are good storytellers for Storytelling In Business. It might even be argued that the best parents are good storytellers.” Evidently, storytelling is not confined to […]
“No doubt about it, the best speakers are good storytellers. The best writers are good storytellers, the best leaders are good storytellers, and the best teachers and trainers and coaches are good storytellers for Storytelling In Business.
It might even be argued that the best parents are good storytellers.” Evidently, storytelling is not confined to writers. Storytelling is an important and effective tool that every person should be investing time into developing.
As leaders, people naturally listen to us, whether it is out of obligation or genuine desire. But storytelling not only makes you more desirable to listen to, but it can help you get your message across more effectively and with enhanced clarity. When adults hear the word ‘storytelling’ they think of fairytales and children’s books.
The idea of storytellers often is equated with strictly fiction and being loose with the truth. But storytelling in the business world uses honesty and emotion to convey a powerful message and establish a genuine connection with those listening. Good storytelling is a key to influencing those we are trying to reach with our message.
Storytelling is a point of difference in business. Sure, facts and figures are great selling points, but how about a story that reaches the emotions of your employees and customers, and makes you a more personable business?
How about having a lasting impact that doesn’t rely on customers remembering percentages and numbers?
How about creating a lasting connection with customers who will return to your company because you weren’t afraid of telling a story?
Good storytelling does more than just recount the past, it brings connection, emotion, and loyalty.
So, instead of thinking of storytelling as fables and fairytales, think of it as a tool that you should be sharpening, no matter what industry or position you find yourself in! Relationships and connections are central to the life of business, and storytelling is a powerful means of getting these things.
Forget childish stories, businesses aren’t immune to the wonders that storytelling brings.
For me, it was the stories I read as a child about fighter pilots’ airborne jousting during WW1 and WW2, the camaraderie, and the challenge of 1v1 aerial combat. The romantic side of flying, specifically as a fighter pilot, built a connection that to this day, 40 years after my first aviation-related reading experience, endures and defines most of what I do. At the bar after a week in the Squadron, the stories of wins and losses were recounted.
This forged a deep connection as a team and sense of purpose that was well defined and reinforced each and every day. Through storytelling we pushed ourselves to the very edge of our capability, we wanted to be like those we admired most.
As a teenager, one of the most important stories I ever experienced was that of Maverick and Goose, through the movie Top Gun. I’m not going the lie, (SPOILER ALERT) the reality of the fighter pilot is quite different to the movie, not that I knew that at the time!
In the wake of the new Top Gun 2 movie’s release, from personal experience, I know there will be a new generation of fighter pilots that are inspired by the story. Inspired by the speed, the noise, the frenetic pace and the challenges of operating at the very edge of human performance.
Without those stories, I wouldn’t have encountered my deep love for aviation when I did. Those stories are still etched in my mind and they still continue to stir my passion for what I do. You too can share stories that do the same for others! It isn’t limited to movies and books, the power of storytelling is well within your reach! You might be thinking, what sets GOOD storytelling apart from storytelling? Well, let’s find out!
The first point of call is your audience and the purpose of your story. Who are you trying to reach? Who is your brand, product, or business designed for?
And once you know who you are telling your story to, you need to ask yourself why. Is it an introduction to who you are as a company?
Is it the story of a product and how it will shape the lives of those who buy it? Now to go beyond a simple this is who we are and why you should partake in the company.
In any good story, there is a protagonist and antagonists. There are things that stand in the way, and a hero who overcomes the obstacles. This is no exception for business stories. People everywhere are facing visible and invisible challenges every day, and the story of overcoming is sure to elicit empathy and emotion from those reading. Leaders, students, accountants, café owners, and every person under the sun understand obstacles, so why hide the most common piece of ground we all share?
The reality is this, businesses are not immune from challenges, and so hiding the stories of overcoming daily challenges makes customers feel that you aren’t telling the truth to some degree. You don’t have to own a business to know that there would be endless challenges that you face. Share them, in a powerful story of conquering what seemed impossible.
Get customers involved in the process by having a place for reviews. Reviews are people’s stories about their interactions with your company or your product, reviews convey powerful messages to those who read them (whether they’re good or not). Make the ways that you tell your stories diverse! Speak them, write them, design them, print them! There are so many ways to spread your story and influence far and wide, make use of them!
Business and storytelling really do go hand in hand! In a world of inauthenticity, facts, figures, and filters give your customers a really good story! One that evokes emotion and empathy, one that enhances influence, one that creates genuine connections.
Storytelling is a tool that you would be wise for sharpening! And in my personal opinion, rewatching Top Gun is a form of storytelling research…if you needed an excuse to watch it again! Be real and watch connection and loyalty flow throughout your business.
References
Indeed. (2021). Storytelling in business: Definition and how to draft a good story. Indeed.
Sah, A. (2018). Why storytelling is a powerful strategic business tool. Word Lift.
Schneider, E. (2021). How to use storytelling in business to build a captivated audience. CXL.
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: Christian ‘Boo’ Boucousis
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
Author Profile
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
A former 9-figure corporate CEO gives you 10 powerful questions to help you seal the deal in your next interview. Just like dressing professionally, showing up on time, and wielding a firm handshake, asking the right questions can make or break the outcome of a long-awaited interview for a super-coveted position. Asking no questions at […]
When I was in high school i realized Leaders You Dont Need To Have All The Answers, there was a teacher that had a brilliant line when he was asked a question that he didn’t know the answer to in the moment. He would state: “That is beyond the scope of this course,” with a […]
GUIDE TO A TURBULENT WORLD from Economist and best-selling author Dr Dambisa Moyo (St Antony’s, 1997) discusses the world we’re in and how to negotiate it. Economist Dr Moyo (St Antony’s, 1997) was drawn to St Antony’s for its international, graduate student body and expertise in ‘macroeconomics and geo-politics’ as she puts it. She completed […]
In his book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” Patrick Lencioni identifies the heart of dysfunction as a lack of trust and How to build trust. So, how do we build teams that trust each other, particularly in a hybrid environment? The first step toward achieving confident cohesion is to help your team members connect […]
A common problem new pilots struggle with is avoiding a PIO or pilot-induced oscillation. So how do we Stop the Cycle as We’re all familiar with the concept of overcorrecting in a car. A deer runs out, you’re driving tired, you’re near the edge of the road, and you yank the wheel the other direction […]
New York, USA (24 March 2022) – The endangered black rhino in South Africa will receive extraordinary help from Wall Street with a new “Rhino Bond” that will only increase in value as the animal’s population increases! The pilot project has already been backed by the Washington-based lender which has issued a $150 million loan (over R2 […]
The relentless pace and uncertainty of business today is taking a serious toll on all of us. Mental Health Leadership Priority might strive to be purpose-driven, impactful and innovative, but they are often hijacked by constant crisis management and the pressure to give everyone a voice. As if that’s not enough, add in the exhaustion […]
Growing threat of cybercrime? Not only to individuals but also to businesses of all shapes and sizes, across all sectors and industries. During the pandemic, incidents of cybercrime increased by an astounding 600 per cent. This makes cybercrime the fastest-growing crime in the world and companies and individuals are faced with more cyberattacks than ever […]
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME
