“I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it, until it begins to shine.” Emily Dickinson Stories can help us to connect to others at a deep, almost primeval level through the power of their emotional energy. And stories are the narrative architecture formed by words. Words captivate and influence our emotions; they have stirred nations to triumph and instil hope. Used carelessly, they cause disappointment or worse still, wreak havoc. Every relationship we build starts with an interaction, with words. For us in new business, as in all spheres of our professional life, honing our communications skills, mindful of the extraordinary power of words, is an invaluable talent to nurture. By being imaginative and playful with words and thus stories, we build our credibility, trust and powers of persuasion. Facts alone are dry, uninteresting and easily forgettable, but stories we remember. How to create a pitch-winning story. Simply put, a story is about the transformation of a character, the hero, as he or she is tested through the unfolding of a series of challenges and struggles in the endeavour to achieve a particular goal. The…
