Not all lessons are created equal. Some are small reminders, while others fundamentally change our lives.

Over the past five (5) years in consulting, the most important lesson I've learned about effective communication is:

Learn how to tell a story

The Power of Storytelling

Humans are wired for storytelling. Stories have been the vehicle for conveying knowledge, culture, and values for millenia. Their structure—beginning, middle, and end—makes complex ideas relatable and memorable. Learning to tell an engaging story around whatever you are communicating will put you Moon leaps ahead of your competition. 

Organizing Information

When communicating technical topics and data, using a story structure helps organize information clearly. For better or worse, as humans we gravitate to information that is structured around a “battle” between “good” and “evil.” By presenting data within that narrative, you guide your audience through the information, making it engaging, easy to follow and more likely to resonate.

Galvanizing Support

Stories create an emotional connection. As mentioned before, evolution and time tested practices have proven that we humans connect with the story structure, both intellectually and emotionally.  The storytelling structure not only makes your message memorable but also, when aptly structured, will inspire your listeners to action. This is a universal approach to communication that resonates deeply across cultures.

My Consulting Experience

In my work across a variety of consulting roles I have seen the impact of storytelling firsthand. Communicating complex concepts and strategic approaches required more than just data. There is a need for a compelling narrative to effectively illustrate our individual and collective relationships with the challenges, solutions, and the desired outcomes.

Enhance Your Storytelling

As you can tell I am pretty passionate about this area. As a result I have compiled a number of resources that I would love to share with you.

To master storytelling, explore these resources:

1. Duarte: Nancy Duarte is a titan in the industry of telling stories with data and business insights. Her website and myriad of books offer insights into how to tell engaging stories to communicate your message. Check out the website and the list of books.

2. The Science of Storytelling: I highly recommend this book if you want to understand the psychology behind effective storytelling. Here is the link to Amazon. 

3. The Hero with a Thousand Faces: If you haven’t heard about this book, I would be surprised. George Lucas frequently has referred to Joseph Campbell, the author, as his “Yoda.” This book deconstructs universal concepts across stories and cultures. It offers some powerful models for crafting your own story, around whatever you might be communicating. Here is the Amazon link.

4. Analyst Academy: Analyst Academy YouTube Channel. Across my many consulting roles I have religiously followed this Youtube channel to understand the fundamentals of structuring executive presentations and knowing the fundamental storytelling techniques for communicating with executives and clients. 

If this resonated with you, please leave a comment below or message me on LinkedIn or X/Twitter!