Brillaint breakdown on storytelling vs presentation. The part about vulnerability being an invitation rather than weakness really clicked for me. I've seen so many pitch decks that are polished to death but totally lack any humanmoment. The irony is those same founders wonder why investors dont remember them after the meeting.
I see the same thing with academic research. Research is personal, usually motivated by personal experiences, but those rarely make it to the research presentation.
We talk a lot about knowledge, credentials, and technical skills, but what actually sticks with people—and what moves them to care or act—is story. Facts matter, data matters, expertise matters. But without a narrative, most of it just floats by.
The distinction you make between presentation and storytelling is spot on. Sharing information isn’t the same as making it meaningful. Storytelling is what turns “Here’s what I know” into “Here’s why this matters.” It creates connection, not just clarity.
The high school teachers I’ve seen struggle most—especially in the humanities—tended to share a few common traits: they couldn’t tell a story, took themselves too seriously, had little sense of humor, and insisted their way of teaching was the right way. They avoided vulnerability, rarely sparked curiosity, and left little room for imagination.
The part about vulnerability really landed too. So often it’s mistaken for weakness, when in reality it’s what builds trust. When someone is willing to be honest about uncertainty, struggle, or motivation, it doesn’t push people away—it invites them in. Distance kills trust; openness creates it.
I also love the idea of storytelling as a force multiplier. A story gives structure to complexity. It helps people see patterns instead of isolated facts. It’s why ideas travel, why they’re remembered, and why they get repeated accurately when you’re not in the room.
In a world overloaded with information and short on attention, storytelling isn’t a “soft” skill—it’s essential. It’s how meaning survives the noise.
I completely agree: if you’re going to invest in one skill, it should be storytelling. That’s how ideas become memorable, trust is established, and real impact occurs. The most magical moments in my career have all involved storytelling. Seeing the spark in someone’s eyes when you know you’ve captured their attention is one of the most fulfilling aspects of being an educator.
Great summary, Dr. A. One of the pieces of advice I offer up to students asking for "the next class to take" is to take another speaking course or another writing course. They often groan at the suggestion, but I use that as evidence that they need to improve. If they didn't like the last one they did, it was probably because they weren't very good at it and needed to work on it more.
I like the idea of reframing this as storytelling.
I used to challenge students to participate in NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month (prior to the AI generated scandal!) It was a method to have them express their thoughts creatively without the concern about grades. I had benefited from taking a Creative Writing class sophmore year that allowed me to deal with some anxiety issues by creating differing narratives.
Tailering that narrative to the audience is also an important skill. Students react differently that 53 yr olds to the same topic. Pulling from experiences realitive to that audience creates a better connection. Universal truths.
I could not agree more! However... how one arrives at the story one tells is at least as important as the story itself. Conmen are storytellers. Bad CEOs may be better storytellers than good ones, because they have to sell a worse situation to retain their position. We need to understand the situation we are talking about well, understand it without prejudice and convey it with belief and authenticity, in order to tell a story that reflects the real world. Otherwise we are just good liars.
Brillaint breakdown on storytelling vs presentation. The part about vulnerability being an invitation rather than weakness really clicked for me. I've seen so many pitch decks that are polished to death but totally lack any humanmoment. The irony is those same founders wonder why investors dont remember them after the meeting.
I see the same thing with academic research. Research is personal, usually motivated by personal experiences, but those rarely make it to the research presentation.
This really resonated with me.
We talk a lot about knowledge, credentials, and technical skills, but what actually sticks with people—and what moves them to care or act—is story. Facts matter, data matters, expertise matters. But without a narrative, most of it just floats by.
The distinction you make between presentation and storytelling is spot on. Sharing information isn’t the same as making it meaningful. Storytelling is what turns “Here’s what I know” into “Here’s why this matters.” It creates connection, not just clarity.
The high school teachers I’ve seen struggle most—especially in the humanities—tended to share a few common traits: they couldn’t tell a story, took themselves too seriously, had little sense of humor, and insisted their way of teaching was the right way. They avoided vulnerability, rarely sparked curiosity, and left little room for imagination.
The part about vulnerability really landed too. So often it’s mistaken for weakness, when in reality it’s what builds trust. When someone is willing to be honest about uncertainty, struggle, or motivation, it doesn’t push people away—it invites them in. Distance kills trust; openness creates it.
I also love the idea of storytelling as a force multiplier. A story gives structure to complexity. It helps people see patterns instead of isolated facts. It’s why ideas travel, why they’re remembered, and why they get repeated accurately when you’re not in the room.
In a world overloaded with information and short on attention, storytelling isn’t a “soft” skill—it’s essential. It’s how meaning survives the noise.
I completely agree: if you’re going to invest in one skill, it should be storytelling. That’s how ideas become memorable, trust is established, and real impact occurs. The most magical moments in my career have all involved storytelling. Seeing the spark in someone’s eyes when you know you’ve captured their attention is one of the most fulfilling aspects of being an educator.
Thanks for sharing this...
Thanks. Something I left out is that storytelling helps me so much in the classroom. Thanks for bringing it to the discussion
Great summary, Dr. A. One of the pieces of advice I offer up to students asking for "the next class to take" is to take another speaking course or another writing course. They often groan at the suggestion, but I use that as evidence that they need to improve. If they didn't like the last one they did, it was probably because they weren't very good at it and needed to work on it more.
I like the idea of reframing this as storytelling.
Thanks Jadrian. Tell me if the reframe works
I used to challenge students to participate in NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month (prior to the AI generated scandal!) It was a method to have them express their thoughts creatively without the concern about grades. I had benefited from taking a Creative Writing class sophmore year that allowed me to deal with some anxiety issues by creating differing narratives.
Tailering that narrative to the audience is also an important skill. Students react differently that 53 yr olds to the same topic. Pulling from experiences realitive to that audience creates a better connection. Universal truths.
Thanks, Lary. My stories and examples change as I age and as my audience changes.
I 100% AGREE!!! I will be sharing this with my students so they can prepare for pitch days!
You are a great storyteller too
Great topic . Thanks for the ideas and it is wonderful to promote others.
I could not agree more! However... how one arrives at the story one tells is at least as important as the story itself. Conmen are storytellers. Bad CEOs may be better storytellers than good ones, because they have to sell a worse situation to retain their position. We need to understand the situation we are talking about well, understand it without prejudice and convey it with belief and authenticity, in order to tell a story that reflects the real world. Otherwise we are just good liars.