Today’s ponderable is: How do art and science come together to enable powerful storytelling?

Dear Diary,

As a proud daughter of Caribbean-born parents, my earliest memories of storytelling are woven into the rhythms of French Creole – one of the languages of my ancestors, my family and my soul.

In our family, stories were not just recounted in French or English; they were often shared in the vibrant patois of Haiti. Vivid language, expressions of wisdom and emphatic gestures brought the stories to life, transforming the process into a form of performance art.

French Creole: The language of storytelling

French Creole storytelling is a living tradition, born from a history of adversity and adaptation. Under colonial rule and slavery, Creole tales served as tools of resistance; and retelling them was a powerful way to preserve dignity and identity through the nightly vigils. These stories often taught lessons of wit, survival and hope. In the Caribbean, to tell a story is to invite listeners into a shared experience, to foster understanding, even to spark transformation.

Whereas French Creole of old enabled survival and resistance, it has since evolved into written language and has subsequently been integrated into the educational system in Haiti in succession of the French Baccalaureate system. Modern-day Creole has its own distinct grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, although it draws from French, West African languages, indigenous influences and American English. Today, it goes beyond serving as a language of connection, cultural richness and resilience; it is also a living language that is continually evolving to suit modern forms of expression.

Storytelling: Where art meets science

In the corporate world, I view storytelling as both an art and a science, acting as a bridge between culture, strategies and change. And, as AI-enabled digital workplaces start to help organizations transform into what Microsoft calls ‘Frontier Firms’1, storytelling is emerging as a powerful catalyst for change – and especially for DWG Trailblazers.2 But, in order for this to be impactful, there must be a blend of the creative intuition of art with the structured rigour of science.

The art of storytelling lies in crafting narratives that resonate emotionally, while the science ensures that stories are grounded in measurable outcomes – especially when it comes to change enablement.

Catalyse change through storytelling by using 10 key principles

For digital workplace leaders and champions steering Fortune 500 organizations, here are 10 principles – rooted in a blend of Caribbean traditions and modern business practice – which come together as a way of mastering the art and science of storytelling:

1. Know your audience Understand the unique perspectives, motivations and concerns of your audience. Tailor your narrative to resonate with their current realities and aspirations. Note: You should even be prepared to create variations of the story that are audience specific. The WIIFM (What’s in it for me?) motivators are essential to get your audience to think, feel or do something in response to your story.
2. Start with purpose Anchor your story in a compelling ‘why’. Clarify the intended change and articulate the vision that drives it.
3. Embrace authenticity Share real experiences and genuine emotions. Authentic stories foster trust and inspire openness to new directions.
4. Create emotional resonance Use vivid imagery, relatable characters and emotional arcs. Stories that touch the heart are more likely to inspire action and adaptability.
5. Leverage structure Organize your narrative with a clear beginning, middle and end. Structure provides clarity and helps others follow – and champion – the journey.
6. Incorporate data and evidence Blend personal anecdotes with relevant data. Balancing emotion with evidence makes the case for change more compelling and credible.
7. Foster participation Encourage dialogue, feedback and co-creation. Interactive storytelling empowers others to become active agents of change.
8. Highlight the ‘Why now?’ Emphasize urgency and relevance. Help your audience understand why agility and adaptation are essential at this moment.
9. Anticipate resistance Address doubts and alternative viewpoints with empathy and transparency. Proactive storytelling can transform skepticism into support.
10. End with a call to action Conclude with a clear invitation to act, experiment or commit as appropriate. Stories that inspire concrete steps help teams move from intention to impact.

Tie your story up with a bow by incorporating a powerful metaphor

One of the most transformative tools in any storyteller’s toolkit is the use of a powerful metaphor. Metaphors do more than just simplify complex ideas – they create a vivid, visual anchor that lingers in the minds of your audience long after the story ends. But their true magic lies in their ability to evoke emotion and foster deep, lasting connections.

A well-chosen metaphor acts like a bridge between logic and feeling. It translates abstract concepts into relatable images, allowing your audience to ‘see’ and ‘feel’ the journey you’re describing. For example, likening a period of organizational change to a butterfly’s metamorphosis not only illustrates transformation but also stirs feelings of hope, patience and renewal. Similarly, describing a team’s journey as “navigating uncharted waters” can evoke both the uncertainty and the excitement of discovery.

Metaphors are especially powerful in times of change and uncertainty. They help people to process emotions, align around a shared vision, and find meaning in the midst of ambiguity. When you choose a metaphor that resonates with your audience’s experiences and aspirations, you invite them to step into the story – not just as listeners, but as participants.

Key tips for using metaphors to create emotional resonance:

• Select metaphors that are culturally relevant and easily visualized.
• Tie the metaphor to your audience’s values or current challenges.
• Use sensory language to make the metaphor come alive.
• Reinforce the metaphor throughout your narrative to deepen its impact.

Incorporating a powerful metaphor is your wild card for making stories not only memorable but emotionally compelling too. This is the spark that transforms information into inspiration, and listeners into champions of change.

A recent metaphor that served as a call to action for DWG Trailblazers

Context: One of our DWG Trailblazers was reflecting on our live benchmarking during our last gathering of the Trailblazers and said: “I don’t think anybody has a perfect recipe yet for telling the value creation story for AI literacy.”

My response was to translate the outputs of the session into a call to action for all using a powerful metaphor:

“Some of the best dishes ever served come from the refrigerator chef! Albeit the refrigerator chef may not be a pedigreed chef, they are a unique kind of chef who can open up the refrigerator, pull a bunch of ingredients together based on what they have to hand and literally prepare an exquisite meal that is visually appealing.

My call to action for this group is to aspire to become the refrigerator chef. Because, to your point [name redacted], no one organization among us has solved for everything. But if you listen closely and you pull from the collective body of successes and learnings shared here, you can create THE definitive recipe for success.”

Ask yourself

• Who are the storytellers that have inspired you through your life and career? And, what do you find compelling about them and their approach?
• What’s the most powerful metaphor used by a senior leader that inspired you to act, experiment or commit to something?
• What are some recent examples of stories you’ve told in your current role? Did that story reflect all of the principles set out in this blog entry. Were there some elements that were distinctly successful and others that could have been improved upon?

Until next time…

Nancy

Categorised in:   → Diary of a She-E-O