The ability to tell a clear, compelling story is a practical business skill rather than a media one, since a founder is constantly explaining the business to people who do not yet understand it, customers, investors, potential hires and partners. Business journalists develop this skill professionally, and what they know about structuring a story transfers directly to how a business explains itself.
A business that cannot explain itself clearly loses opportunities for reasons unrelated to the quality of what it does, which makes storytelling less a communications nicety than a commercial capability.
Lead with what matters to the listener
The most common storytelling failure in business is starting with the background the speaker finds important rather than the point the listener needs, and reversing that order, opening with the consequence or the relevance, keeps attention long enough for the detail to land.
Specifics are more persuasive than adjectives
A concrete detail, what a customer actually said, what specifically changed, communicates considerably more than a general claim of quality or impact, and business communication tends to be crowded with adjectives where specifics would be far more convincing.
Surrounding yourself with better people beats being the strongest individual
An insight experienced leaders arrive at repeatedly is that building a genuinely strong team matters more than being the most capable person in the room, and that reaching this conclusion honestly requires giving up a certain self-image about one’s own indispensability.
Clarity improves with deliberate practice
Explaining a business clearly is a skill that improves with repetition and honest feedback rather than a fixed trait, which means founders who practise their explanation on people unfamiliar with the business, and adjust based on what actually lands, get measurably better at it.
A well-told business story also has to be accurate, which is the standard applied to national brand communication by Brand South Africa.
Frequently asked questions
Why is storytelling a business skill rather than a media one?
Because founders constantly explain the business to customers, investors, hires and partners who do not yet understand it, and a business that explains itself poorly loses opportunities unrelated to its actual quality.
What is the most common storytelling mistake in business?
Starting with the background the speaker finds important rather than the point the listener needs, which loses attention before the substance has a chance to land.
Why do specifics work better than general claims?
Because a concrete detail, what a customer said, what specifically changed, carries considerably more persuasive weight than an adjective, and business communication tends to be crowded with the latter.
What does building a strong team require of a leader personally?
Giving up a degree of self-image about being the most capable person present, since the conclusion that a strong team matters more than individual strength requires genuine honesty about one’s own indispensability.
Can storytelling ability actually be improved?
Yes, it responds to deliberate practice and honest feedback, particularly practising an explanation on people unfamiliar with the business and adjusting based on what genuinely lands.
Further reading
Originally published in May 2017. Updated September 2026 and rewritten in house voice, drawing the original interview into practical storytelling principles for business leaders.
