INSTANT MBA: You Need To Be A Good Storyteller To Survive In Business

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Today's advice comes from Shane Snow, CCO of Contently, via LinkedIn:

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"Good stories surprise us. They have compelling characters. They make us think, make us feel. They stick in our minds and help us remember ideas and concepts in a way that numbers and text on a slide with a bar graph don't ... unfortunately, in the era of PowerPoint and status updates, many of us have forgotten how to tell a good story."

Snow says that being a good storyteller is beneficial in business situations. Not only do leaders need to be good storytellers, but their teams do as well in order to connect with consumers. Overall, Snow says that the skill is vastly undervalued.

"Stories make presentations better. Stories make ideas stick. Stories help us persuade. Savvy leaders tell stories to inspire us, motivate us...There's a Native American proverb on my office wall that says, 'Those who tell the stories rule the world.' As technology increasingly intertwines us, I believe that's increasingly true. It's our job as businesses and workers and leaders to make sure the good guys are the ones telling the best stories. And like any skill, we're going to need practice at it."

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