You don't need to be a novelist — one true moment, told plainly, is enough.
You don't need to be a novelist — one true moment, told plainly, is enough. Many leaders tell me they 'don't do stories', usually right after telling me a brilliant one over coffee.
Start with a moment, not a lesson. 'In 2019 our biggest client called to cancel' is far stronger than 'I want to talk about resilience'. Let the audience feel the tension before you explain what it meant.
Keep it short. Most business stories work best at around ninety seconds: situation, tension, turning point, what changed. Cut the backstory and the adjectives.
Finally, connect the story to a single decision you want people to make. A story without a point is an anecdote; a story with a point is leadership.
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