In Fast Company: The Top 4 Mistakes That Make Business Leaders Awful Storytellers, by Paul Smith
If “storytelling” is a common buzzword in the business world, it’s for good reason—narratives make for effective communication. But the practice has become a victim of its own success. Suddenly, it’s as though everyone fancies themselves “storytellers” but without really knowing what a story is or how to tell one.
I’ve trained thousands of executives on storytelling, so I’ve seen pretty much every storytelling mistake someone can possibly make. Here are the four most common slip-ups that turn otherwise capable speakers into ineffective storytellers.