What Do Storytelling and Sailing Have in Common?
Why is storytelling so effective when it comes to persuading skeptics, and why do data and facts often fail in this case?
Nancy Duarte compares the art of storytelling to a sailing voyage—one that can actually benefit from a bit of headwind. On a sailboat, the skipper carries full responsibility, but without the crew handling the sails, the journey will not go far. The skipper determines the route of the voyage. He must know precisely where the journey begins and ends, and where the most important docking points lie along the way.
Storytellers work in much the same way. They must know “where the journey is headed”—the starting point and the destination of their story. The audience does not need to know every detail of the route from the outset. But at key turning points in the narrative, the storyteller must remain attentive to the listeners, bring them along, and continually remind them of the destination of the speech.
Storytelling can often appear to be a detour. Yet stories are particularly powerful when skeptics and critics are “on board”—when there is resistance. Rather than choosing the direct route and laboriously sailing straight into the wind—an approach that is futile in strong winds—a sailor takes a zigzag course, known in sailing as “tacking.”
To avoid the full force of the wind against the sails, the skipper steers the boat at an angle to the wind. To a novice, this may appear to be the wrong direction, since the boat is not heading directly toward its destination. But by repeatedly switching—tacking—from a slight angle to the left to a slight angle to the right, the boat moves steadily and gradually closer to its goal.
Only once attention, understanding, and credibility have been restored can a new attempt at persuasion begin.
Stories, therefore, do not simply provide skeptics with more ammunition for criticism. Instead, they engage intuitively and emotionally through an alternative pathway. Only when the critic lets go of the narrow focus of their objections and becomes willing to listen can rational arguments be introduced again.
Anyone facing headwinds should therefore equip themselves with strong stories. But where can these stories be found—stories capable of convincing even the critics?
While management visions and future strategies may sound impressive, many of these narratives tend to be predictable and, from a storytelling perspective, rather banal. Their storylines typically revolve around themes such as “We aim to become market leaders,” “We are innovation leaders,” or “We are a large corporation with a startup culture.” These narratives are familiar and have been told countless times before.
The more valuable treasure often lies in real stories embedded within the company itself. These stories can convey the same core message as a corporate vision—but they are usually far more compelling. They are authentic, feature real people and employees, and revolve around the small and large—above all human—dramas of everyday work.
And they accomplish something fictional management stories often cannot: they unite the storyteller, the protagonists, and the audience, creating a powerful sense of identification with the story.
Former Procter & Gamble executive and storytelling expert Paul Smith knows from experience how difficult it is to influence corporate culture. For him, storytelling is therefore a key to success. Stories function as illustrative examples that make it far easier to grasp and understand something as abstract as “culture” or “values.”
Anyone who engages deeply with storytelling begins to recognize patterns in stories and in the way they are told. Narratives reflect behavioral patterns—for example, those of employees or customers. Once these patterns are recognized and understood, they can be consciously used and shaped.
Today, storytelling is widely recognized as a methodological tool in change management, brand leadership, project management, and knowledge management.
In every case, storytelling faces the same challenge: the reduction of complexity.
Corporate stories make it easier to navigate complex workflows, complex group dynamics, and complex markets. They help people understand what the organization’s mission is and what role it plays in the world. Most importantly, they help individuals recognize their own personal contribution to that mission.
Therefore, before companies focus on fictional stories about the future, it is advisable to direct attention first to the stories of the present. Every organization needs a story about the future—there is no doubt about that. But such a story should not simply be invented; it must be discovered. Only those who understand the narrative starting point in the present can shape the story in the direction they want.
Storytellers work in much the same way. They must know “where the journey is headed”—the starting point and the destination of their story. The audience does not need to know every detail of the route from the outset. But at key turning points in the narrative, the storyteller must remain attentive to the listeners, bring them along, and continually remind them of the destination of the speech.
Storytelling can often appear to be a detour. Yet stories are particularly powerful when skeptics and critics are “on board”—when there is resistance. Rather than choosing the direct route and laboriously sailing straight into the wind—an approach that is futile in strong winds—a sailor takes a zigzag course, known in sailing as “tacking.”
To avoid the full force of the wind against the sails, the skipper steers the boat at an angle to the wind. To a novice, this may appear to be the wrong direction, since the boat is not heading directly toward its destination. But by repeatedly switching—tacking—from a slight angle to the left to a slight angle to the right, the boat moves steadily and gradually closer to its goal.
Against the Wind
A compelling story works in much the same way. At first, it may sound like a detour—or even like a digression from the topic. Critics in the audience are not confronted directly with arguments, data, facts, or evidence. Instead, the storyteller relies on a narrative that builds trust and establishes an emotional connection with skeptical listeners.Only once attention, understanding, and credibility have been restored can a new attempt at persuasion begin.
Stories, therefore, do not simply provide skeptics with more ammunition for criticism. Instead, they engage intuitively and emotionally through an alternative pathway. Only when the critic lets go of the narrow focus of their objections and becomes willing to listen can rational arguments be introduced again.
Anyone facing headwinds should therefore equip themselves with strong stories. But where can these stories be found—stories capable of convincing even the critics?
“If you can harness the principles of a well-told story, then you get people rising to their feet amid thunderous applause.”
— Robert McKee
Real Versus Fictional Stories
Companies generally have two fundamental categories of stories available to them: true stories and fictional stories. This distinction does not refer to genres such as press reportage or fictional novels. Rather, it differentiates between real stories that actually occur within a company and fictional narratives that management often prefers to tell.While management visions and future strategies may sound impressive, many of these narratives tend to be predictable and, from a storytelling perspective, rather banal. Their storylines typically revolve around themes such as “We aim to become market leaders,” “We are innovation leaders,” or “We are a large corporation with a startup culture.” These narratives are familiar and have been told countless times before.
The more valuable treasure often lies in real stories embedded within the company itself. These stories can convey the same core message as a corporate vision—but they are usually far more compelling. They are authentic, feature real people and employees, and revolve around the small and large—above all human—dramas of everyday work.
And they accomplish something fictional management stories often cannot: they unite the storyteller, the protagonists, and the audience, creating a powerful sense of identification with the story.
Former Procter & Gamble executive and storytelling expert Paul Smith knows from experience how difficult it is to influence corporate culture. For him, storytelling is therefore a key to success. Stories function as illustrative examples that make it far easier to grasp and understand something as abstract as “culture” or “values.”
“An organization’s culture is defined by the behavior of its members and reinforced by the stories they tell. (…) If you want to create a stronger culture in your organization, find the stories that exemplify the culture you would like to foster and share them broadly.”Conversely, stories can also be used to make an existing corporate culture visible and understandable.
Anyone who engages deeply with storytelling begins to recognize patterns in stories and in the way they are told. Narratives reflect behavioral patterns—for example, those of employees or customers. Once these patterns are recognized and understood, they can be consciously used and shaped.
Today, storytelling is widely recognized as a methodological tool in change management, brand leadership, project management, and knowledge management.
In every case, storytelling faces the same challenge: the reduction of complexity.
Corporate stories make it easier to navigate complex workflows, complex group dynamics, and complex markets. They help people understand what the organization’s mission is and what role it plays in the world. Most importantly, they help individuals recognize their own personal contribution to that mission.
Therefore, before companies focus on fictional stories about the future, it is advisable to direct attention first to the stories of the present. Every organization needs a story about the future—there is no doubt about that. But such a story should not simply be invented; it must be discovered. Only those who understand the narrative starting point in the present can shape the story in the direction they want.
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