On Storytelling

"The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come." - Steve Jobs

If you think that success hinges solely on the brilliance of your idea or the efficiency of your execution, nothing could be further away from reality.

In the real world, the best story (almost) always wins. It's not merely about what you do but how you communicate it to the world. Your ability to craft a compelling narrative around your venture can make the difference between capturing customers’ & investors' attention or being lost in the noise.

Here are some of my to-dos to improve as a storyteller:

Structure the Story:

• The anatomy of all good stories has 3 key components:

  • Setup i.e. what is the current state of affairs?

  • Conflict i.e. what is/are the current pain points?

  • Resolution i.e. what is the solution and opportunity? Where do you fit in the solution?



• If your story doesn't have this flow or is missing any component, it won’t have the desired impact. A quick resource for this is Telling Stories with Data in 3 Steps

Keep the Audience in Mind:

• George Bernard Shaw once remarked, "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."

• Merely conveying information isn't enough; ensuring that your message is understood is paramount. For this to happen, your story and narrative have to be fine-tuned keeping the audience in mind. Research them and prune your story.

• Also, just dumping information and statistics hardly intrigues the audience. You need to connect with the audience via stories. Stories are what really change minds.

• Lastly, you need to have enough content irrespective of whether the audience engages or not. Everyone, even the biggest introvert, has some story to share or talk about. Find that and build rapport.

Appeal to Emotions:

• 5% of decision-making is done by the rational part of the mind and the rest by the irrational; so appeal to the irrational mind. How do you do this? The irrational part of the brain is driven by emotions - fear, happiness, greed, envy etc. For eg. Can you paint a very rosy picture of the future aka vision via storytelling? Can you trigger loss aversion? Can you trigger personal motive aka greed? It is important to appeal to interest and not just to reason.

• A case in point is the COVID x startup-valuation bubble: When interest rates are low, the story side of the equation becomes super powerful. When short-term results aren’t competing for attention with interest rates, most of a company’s valuation comes from what it might be able to achieve in the future. That, of course, is just a story (which triggers personal emotions like greed and envy). And people can come up with some wild stories.

The Neuroscience of Storytelling:

• A great story is the one which can evoke the following 3 hormones:

  • Oxytocin (for ‘Setup’):

    • Which of your stories makes people feel empathy? How do you get people to empathise with you? How do you get them to say ‘That’s right’?

    • The effects of oxytocin make the audience more generous and trusting. It makes them feel relaxed and more human as they bond with the storyteller

  • Dopamine (for ‘Conflict’):

    • How do you create interest, suspense and cliffhanger? How do you get the audience’s focus and attention? What is something that people are waiting and expecting?

    • When dopamine is released into your blood, it leads to more focus, motivation, and improved memory. Intense situations can increase dopamine levels.

  • Endorphins (for ‘Resolution’):

    • Which of your stories makes people laugh? How do you get people to laugh? How do people feel de-stressed?

    • You create endorphins by making people laugh. It makes people feel more creative, relaxed, and focused.


• These 3 combined make the ‘angel’s cocktail’. Watch The Magical Science of Storytelling | David JP Phillips | TEDx Stockholm for more

Be Authentic & Believe in Yourself:

• Being authentic will give you confidence which is key when it comes to storytelling.

• And, trust in your ability to convey your vision and inspire others with your stories. You are a good storyteller from birth - just believe in yourself.

Practice for Perfection:

• It takes practice. Write down your stories and do them over and over again to make them perfect.

• Whether through writing, speaking, or incorporating feedback, commit to refining your storytelling abilities to unlock your full potential.

I’ve come to realize that storytelling isn't just a soft skill; it's a fundamental aspect of driving business success. As Sherlock Holmes aptly put it,

"What you do in this world is a matter of no consequence. The question is what can you make people believe you have done."