What storytelling means to communicators

In communications, we often say that one of our most foundational skills is storytelling.

But what does that mean in practical terms? Not just as a pie-in-the-sky concept, but as a skill we practice every day to improve our craft and reach our audiences?

I posed this question to my LinkedIn network and received an array of thoughtful, often intensely personal answers. Selected responses are provided below, lightly edited.

Let’s “talk story”. Those are three words my family uttered to me nearly every other day during my childhood growing up in the Pacific on the Island of Guam. It is an islander version of hello, how are you, tell me a story. An invitation of sorts.

My family in their own jolly way would mandate that every person they see walking on the street, accept an invitation to visit. And storytelling is an islander way of passing on history and wisdom. Every person in the culture can “talk story” which means every person is a teacher and every person holds wisdom to share, if you accept the invitation.

Amira Barger, executive vice president, Health Communications & DEI Advisory, Edelman