Steve Jobs offers so many classic story angles, not the least being the prodigal son banished only to return the “homeland” to glory. As discussed last week, he knew how to cultivate Apple’s story in a way that had little to do with words. But what about the third-party storytelling on Mr. Jobs? I’ve culled through the …more
I was delighted when Steve Farnsworth asked me to contribute a guest post to his blog. The content follows. While it’s not exactly focused on storytelling, it still falls under the communications umbrella. Steve originally approached me to share my perspective on the changing role of internal PR practitioners. No question, the economic downturn has …more
There’s an enduring dimension to the David-against-Goliath story that resonates with people. It brings out a fundamental of good storytelling, the unexpected. No one expects a David to beat the proverbial Goliath. The same technique makes for a compelling read in the business world. That’s why when an accomplished mathematician surfaces to challenge Google, …more
One of the last places you’d expect to see the art of storytelling is where a publication sells its advertising. Even one of the bastions of high-brow reading, The Atlantic, – home to Malcolm Gladwell and other marquee-name storytellers – offers a fairly mundane sales pitch: The Atlantic is America’s leading destination for brave thinking and bold ideas …more
