According to a McKinsey & Company study of 18,000 business professionals across 150 countries, public speaking with an emphasis on storytelling is THE foundational skill for CEOs and executives in the next decade.
Leaders who share stories are more likely to align teams, motivate employees and inspire new recruits, customers, and stakeholders.
Storytelling is one essential skill that sets apart the best CEOs from the rest, says Carolyn Dewar, a senior partner at McKinsey.
In other words, storytellers are needed in leadership now more than ever. And, if you’re leading innovation strategies and taking your business into the future – and even the unknown, the story is what sells your ideas to the rest of your company and the market.
Of course, if you’ve ever run up against resistance to either these new ideas or any significant change at work, you’ve probably already felt the pull for a better story.
I always say, our brains are not built to digest Excel spreadsheets instantly; our brains are built to receive stories to imagine our future.
And, when you wrap data in a story, it’s 22x more compelling than facts alone. Our new guide to Innovation Storytelling helps you do this in a way that is efficient, memorable, and shareable by everyone who hears it.
How are your leaders using storytelling to change the status quo in meaningful ways?
I’d love to learn more.
Send me an email and let me know – or let me know if I can help you with your next story. I’d be happy to help.
– Susan
This Week’s Best Articles on Innovation
5 Megatrends Fueling The Rise of Data Storytelling – Visual Capitalist
Bringing Heart, Heartache & Joy Into Climate Storytelling – Walton Family Foundation
How Long Email Chains Can Make Us Frustrated – And Less Competent – WSJ
How To Jumpstart An Innovation Culture – Built In ATX
How To Overcome Your Fear of The Unknown – HBR
