Most executives think corporate storytelling is about delivery. Better presentations. More compelling speeches. A touch of TED. That assumption misses the point entirely, and it’s costing them clarity where it matters most. Corporate storytelling is not about telling stories. It…
After more than 100 storytelling workshops, I’ve started worrying about something. Something else. The day I walk out of a workshop without learning anything new, that’s the day I should probably stop running it. When workshops become performances Early on,…
Most organizations are obsessed with one question: How are we different? But here’s a quieter, more uncomfortable question: Different from what and aligned around what? When we study storytelling across cultures, something fascinating happens. We don’t look for what makes…
March 1st, 1996. Eastern Express Highway in Mumbai. A Premier Padmini. No seat belt. I don’t usually begin newsletters like this. And I don’t usually share this story in public forums. Not because it is secret. But because it is…
Have you ever seen that look? The polite half-smile. The slight nod. The eyes scanning for an exit. The expression says: I know this is important, but I’d rather not. I’ve seen that face in boardrooms. In classrooms. At family…
I keep hearing this question. Have you actually seen storytelling change anything? Or is this all overhyped? It usually comes with a follow-up. Isn’t storytelling just manipulation? A polished way of lying? And honestly? I don’t roll my eyes when…
Many years ago, I attended a classical dance programme conducted by someone I know very well. I took my son along with me. He was five at the time. The performance was beautiful. At the end, the dance guru spoke…
Over the years, I’ve learnt something the hard way. In corporate settings, you are allowed to tell a story only if you can make a point. Not in a philosophical way. Not in an abstract way. But in a way…
For those of you who don’t know me, I am Michelle’s husband, Barack. The first time I heard this, I smiled. Not because it was clever. But because it was unexpected. Here was someone the world knew by power and…
Every crisis has two timelines. One is operational. Servers go down. Flights get cancelled. Security is breached. The other is narrative. And that one moves faster, spreads wider, and lasts longer. Most organizations prepare obsessively for the first timeline. Very…
