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How has storytelling helped you in your career—whether in interviews, leadership, or teamwork ?

How has storytelling helped you in your career—whether in interviews, leadership, or teamwork?

interviews leadership communication-skills teamwork storytelling
Thank you comment icon Great question...this applies to just about any career IMO. The ability to tell a compelling story helps build trusted relationships, can bring people together or closer together, the tone in which you convey it is key as well. It helps when talking about promotions, raises, making a company change or career change. With interviews, there are always multiple candidates for 1 position so knowing your own story front and back will set you apart from others. In leadership, leading people involves building trust and building trust starts with the willingness to serve and show your team you're willing to get in the mix with them, that you've done what they've done and have been where they are. Joe Napoli
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Kevin’s Answer

Great question! Telling a story is a fantastic way to share your message with others. In interviews, the STAR method can be really useful. You describe the Situation, explain the Task you had, talk about the Action you took, and share the Result. This helps you organize your thoughts and answers. Storytelling is also great in sales because it makes your points more engaging for customers. While statistics are important, they can be hard to remember. Putting them in a story makes them easier to understand. Good luck, and I hope this helps!
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ASLON’s Answer

This is an excellent question which is often overlooked. This skill can mean the difference of getting that job you interviewed for vs not getting it, getting your project concept approved for funding vs not, getting recognition for the good work you and your team did vs not. Storytelling is about how you convey what you want or did in a manner that resonates well with your audience, it gets them excited, it gets them to pay attention and want to get more information, and it gets them to appreciate the work or the concept, or even you. You also want to tailor the story to the audience. You cant go too much in detail with senior level executives and kind be too high level for working level co-workers.

Let me share an example to help better "tell the story". John ran a test where he added additional content to a landing page on his company's website. This additional content helped improve website conversion rate by 10%. John was happy with the results.

A better way to tell this story is to paint the picture of how this was done and be more specific as to the benefits for the company: John noticed that there was a lot of drop off on one of the main landing pages on his company's website. John reviewed web playback sessions, customer feedback and talked to the call center reps who handles customer inquiries from this page. John hypothesized that customers were abandoning the page because the information about the promotional offer is confusing, therefor adding more content and better explaining how the offer works will drive more conversions and reduce expensive calls into the call center. John ran the test and saw that the new landing page worked! It worked much better by improving the conversion rate by 10% which equates to $1M in extra revenue for his company and also reduced 100 calls per week saving the company $120K per year in unnecessary costs.

Hope this helps.
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Scott’s Answer

Storytelling is a valuable skill that can help you succeed in almost any career. In sales, building trust with customers is key, and you can do this by presenting your product or service in a way they understand. Leaders use storytelling to guide their teams, whether sharing good news or tough updates. Marketers rely on storytelling too, just like Steve Jobs and Phil Knight did.

In job interviews, storytelling is crucial. Interviewers meet many candidates, and the ones who stand out are those who are engaging, relevant, and to the point.

Being a good storyteller is a powerful but often overlooked skill. It's important to be clear, memorable, and convincing. Use real-life examples in your stories and add emotion to create a connection.
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Virginia’s Answer

Storytelling has been a game-changer in my career. Being able to share clear, relatable stories helps people understand my ideas and connect with me. In interviews, stories show how I’ve solved problems or grown through challenges. In leadership, they help inspire and guide others. And in teamwork, storytelling builds trust and helps everyone stay aligned. It’s not about being perfect — it’s about being real and making your message stick.

Start with a clear structure:

Use the STAR method — Situation, Task, Action, Result. This helps you tell a story that’s easy to follow, especially in interviews.

Make it personal: Share real experiences. Talk about a challenge you faced, how you handled it, and what you learned. This builds connection and shows your growth.

Keep it relevant: Choose stories that match the moment — whether you're answering a question, motivating a team, or explaining an idea.

Practice your delivery: You don’t need to memorize, but practicing helps you stay confident and clear. Try telling your story to a friend or recording yourself.

Focus on impact: End your story with what changed because of your actions — did you solve a problem, help someone, or improve something?
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Chris’s Answer

In interviews, I use a simple arc context, inflection point, outcome so the panel can see how I diagnose, decide, and deliver. Keeping a consistent professional narrative also helps people connect the dots quickly across roles and industries.
As a leader, I rely on story to set mission, create momentum, and make trade‑offs clear. For example, when I run executive briefings, I often open with a story narrative to anchor purpose before we dive into strategy and architecture - this framing turns a set of slides into a shared journey we can act on.
In teamwork, story is how I turn cross‑functional work into one plan - I use an agreed arc (customer problem → value narrative → solution pillars → proof), so sales, specialists, and engineers pull in the same direction.
As a <presenter>, story is so critical to build interest, relevance and interest from the audience. Some of the best presenters are the best story tellers.
With customers, storytelling translates complex programs- like AI transformation or regulatory readiness - into clear, sequenced outcomes that executives can sponsor and delivery teams can build.
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RJ’s Answer

Storytelling is a great way to connect with others on a personal level. When you communicate well and relate to others, you build trust and belief. In an interview, telling a story about yourself can help the interviewer see you as the right fit for the job. Use your past experiences to show how you can succeed in the future.
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jasmine’s Answer

Storytelling has greatly improved my career. I interact with various people daily, and letting customers speak freely often guides our conversations positively. To be a good storyteller, you need to empathize with others' needs and views. Storytelling builds trust and keeps everyone on the same page. It's not about having a perfect story but about being genuine and communicating in a way we both understand.
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Rigoberto’s Answer

Storytelling has helped me a lot in my career since it’s not just about telling stories. It’s about communicating ideas in a clear and meaningful way.

For example, during interviews, storytelling helps me explain my experiences in a more engaging way. Not just what I did, but how I solved problems and what I learned. In teamwork, storytelling is also key to building trust, good communication, and synergy within the team. When people understand the story behind a project or goal, they feel more connected and motivated to work together.

Personally, I’ve found that using storytelling allows me to share the impact of my work with data in a way that’s easy for others to understand. It helps people see the “why” behind the numbers, and that makes collaboration and decision-making much stronger.
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Eugenio’s Answer

Hi there! Thanks for asking such a powerful question.

In my world as a chef leading large kitchen brigades and now as a pranic healer, storytelling has been the invisible ingredient that holds everything together.

• In interviews: instead of simply saying “I’m great under pressure,” I share the night our resort lost power during a wedding banquet and how the team calmly reorganized to serve a flawless meal. That story lets the listener feel leadership and problem-solving in action.

• In daily leadership: every pre-shift meeting begins with a brief story—maybe about the farmer who nurtured today’s vegetables or how yesterday’s teamwork saved a guest’s celebration. These small narratives transform tasks into purpose and pride.

• In teamwork: I name dishes after the cook who created them and tell their journey. It builds ownership and sparks collective creativity.

Stories carry energy. They don’t just inform; they transform. They move people from compliance to inspiration, creating teams that are resilient, joyful, and deeply connected to their craft.

Chef Eugenio Villafaña | Energy that Feeds & Tastes • Pranic Healing & Conscious Leadership

Eugenio recommends the following next steps:

Start a small “story bank.” Write down 3 short stories from your life (a challenge you solved, a team you inspired, a time you turned a mistake into a win). Practice telling each in 2 minutes or less.
Watch a TED Talk on storytelling (for example, Nancy Duarte or Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) and note how they open and close their talk. Adapt one technique to your next presentation or interview.
Before your next interview or team meeting, rehearse a short story that illustrates one key skill you want to highlight (like leadership under pressure).
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Steve’s Answer

Storytelling has been the heart of my career. No matter the situation, if you want to connect with someone emotionally, you need to tell a story. Whether it's a novel, a movie trailer, a podcast, or an interview, storytelling is key. The way you tell a story is what grabs the audience and makes them feel connected.

I've interviewed medical researchers, doctors, social services experts, artists, and many other professionals. I always listen carefully to their stories and make sure to present them in a way that resonates with people through video content.

In communication, understanding your audience is crucial. Not all stories are told the same way. Sometimes, you need to try a new approach to make a strong impact. Knowing your audience can make all the difference.

You've got this!
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Minda’s Answer

Storytelling is a valuable skill you'll use throughout your career. Being able to create a vivid picture for someone is priceless, and using data to support that story is incredibly important. The real magic happens when you tailor your story to what someone needs to hear, helping them truly understand your point. Remember, not everyone wants the same ending, so it's important to shape your story honestly for your audience. I've been told that my storytelling in interviews has set me apart from other candidates. Take the time to develop this skill and practice with topics you know well. It becomes easier as you gain confidence in crafting stories!
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Ernesto’s Answer

Storytelling is a wonderful skill that everyone should learn. It helps build strong connections with a team or community and guides people toward a common goal. It's not just about the end result; it's about sharing the journey to get there.
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Karen’s Answer

I think storytelling often connects you to people in a way that holds their attention. When giving a presentation, I like to begin with a story relating to the topic that often touches heartstrings. As a manager, if you share a story about yourself, you can often gain the respect of co-workers, especially by admitting you're not perfect.

Stories make life more enjoyable -- that might be why kids love them!

With every good wish and many blessings!
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Jerome’s Answer

I tell stories frequently during interviews. Rather than saying “I am a great leader”, I can share stories of how my support allowed others to get promoted or hired in higher level roles can show my leadership skills in a more robust way.
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Scott Ryan’s Answer

Storytelling is a great skill because it helps you share real-life examples to explain things better and make them clear for others. By telling your own story, you can show people where you come from and why you have valuable lessons to share. It's important to express yourself well, especially in interviews, to show why you are the best choice. Sharing what you've done also prepares you to handle challenges when they come up.
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Philippe Jan’s Answer

Storytelling is probably one of the most important but undertaught skills in school. It's a superpower that you can practice in a lot of scenarios.
Here are 3 tips I'd share:

1) Build context. As you are storytelling, you are not just using the time to share details - remember that you are building context on what you want to really convey. Be thoughtful about what details can be helpful to your overall message and what might be "unnecessary".

2) Develop conciseness over time. You will probably have varying experiences and time allotment in different scenarios. So keeping it to the right length is equally important. Try thinking about - "What might the interview care about the most?", "What part of my story is most impactful that it drives the right conclusion?"

3) Understand context of the other person. Try finding yourself on the other person's shoes!

Philippe Jan recommends the following next steps:

Practice. If you are a bit shy, practicing with a friend and giving feedback will be helpful. It can be in a non formal environment as well. Sometimes, when I tell a story to my friend, I realize they might zone out in the middle - that might be cue that I'm being too detailed. Often, they ask, "so what?", which is a prompt that I'm not really building out my context properly.
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JiaYing (JY)’s Answer

I'm glad you asked about this. Storytelling is crucial for effective communication, especially when working with others. It keeps people engaged and helps me be concise. I always ask myself, "What does this mean for the audience?"

In interviews, storytelling lets you share personal experiences that make you memorable and authentic.

In leadership, it clarifies your objectives and vision, explaining the reasons behind your decisions.

In teamwork, it ensures everyone understands and works towards common goals.
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Mark’s Answer

Storytelling is a powerful tool in teamwork, leadership, and job interviews. It shares real-life experiences relevant to the topic and helps build relationships, trust, and integrity.

In job interviews, use storytelling to connect your experiences and skills to the job you want.

In leadership, storytelling can educate, motivate, and guide behavior effectively.

In teamwork, storytelling fosters positive relationships and trust among team members.
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