The Storytelling of Distributed Work

We are always telling stories when we talk, when we write. Stories live in the details we share - the things we see, hear and feel. We may not live the same lives but when we focus on the things that are relatable, our stories resonate.

In December, I noticed 2 evocative posts shared on LinkedIn that I felt really accomplished this in different ways. I've bolded and italicized the parts I feel really capture the imagination and help you see, hear and feel what the author does.

Running a business in the middle of nowhere

It was dark when I quietly shut the door behind me. A distant hoot of an owl. Guided by a half-moon and a sky full of stars. But this story begins yesterday.... We'd just been in the sea. No wetsuit. Winter sun beaming on our faces. Warming our toes in two pairs of wooly socks. Buzzing from the sub-zero temperatures, we decided: heck, why not climb Dun Caan, our island's tallest peak, for sunrise tomorrow? It's great what cold-water adrenaline will have you planning! ?? It was a slippery ascent. Head torches flickering. Frozen heather snapped beneath our boots. Sneaky ice sheets had us dancing. There was little conversation, as we focused on steadying each step. And just before sunrise, we reached the peak. Armed with hot water bottles and flasks of coffee, we waited. And this is what greeted us ?? A sky swirling with pinks and yellows and oranges, with snow-peaked mountain tops in every single direction, as far as the eye could see. This is ~3km from my front door. And by 10:30am, I was at my laptop. When people ask me, gosh, isn't it really hard living so remote? Running a business from the middle of nowhere? The answer is: sometimes. But then we have mornings like this. Surrounded by good people. Incredible nature. All on our doorstep. It's sunrises like this that will stick with me for the rest of my life. And no matter how stressful or busy my week ends up being, I can always come back to this moment. The sun rising across the Scottish highlands and islands. Magic.

This beautiful post was written by Milly Tamati on LinkedIn 2 months ago. She runs Generalist World ?? , a global bootstrapped community for generalists. The visuals captured my imagination and I could imagine early morning hiking in Scotland. I could feel the cold, hear the owl and footsteps and see the half light and the colours spreading across the sky. It's a tribute to the freedom and flexibility remote work offers.

Another post I came across was written by Renée Lindo . She's a personal stylist, the founder of Let's Get Dressed Now , and one of my very first podcast guests. She often posts videos because of the visual nature of her work but this post captured the beauty of her writing. The original post included the photo of the outfit so if you are interested in seeing that, read the post:)

She’s a new Partner in a new law firm in a big city. The holiday party would be the first time she would be meeting the senior leadership in person, and many of the global leaders would be flying in for the event. Picture it, 50th floor, all glass building, soft music playing, canapés being passed, you get it, it’s a big deal. She wanted to feel confident, feel like herself, make a great impression, look fabulous and also be festive and allow her personality to shine through. This was the look, and she killed it! “I got so many compliments…Beautiful. Glamorous. Everyone loved the shoes. (I love the shoes. So comfy.) Two women asked me for the suit designer. Two people said they loved the earrings. ????…. Thank YOU for making the night so special. You are great at what you do.” This is what it’s about for me. Helping women to show up with confidence so they can expand what they’re available for. Our clothes are powerful tools.

Renée has done a great job of evoking the event space - you sense the drama of the glass enclosing the gathering, high above the city lights, and you can hear the music. It's easy to imagine to decorate the space with lush carpet, marble walls, elegant chandeliers twinkling, the murmur of conversation punctuated by laughter. You know people are dressed to impress - what colours and materials capture your imagination? Dresses, suits, the glint of the jewelry? The post invokes a feeling of belonging and makes your remember what it's like to gather in person and how it feels to be so well dressed that you are receiving compliments.

Which story are you drawn to more? Why?

I've lived a life where I can relate to both stories. I don't do cold water nor do I climb mountains but I'm an early morning walker so I know the sunrise, the sounds of dawn and I know the joy of being out in nature before arriving at your laptop ready to work without the need for a long commute. I've also been in gorgeous rooms with senior leaders, surrounded by people in beautiful clothes. I'm an ambivert - an introvert with skills - so the lack of crowds in the first story is more attractive to me than the second story. I fit that environment more naturally although I can adapt well to the second environment. I love fashion - that's the fun part.

You read stories from your own perspective and it allows you to try on different lives. Which ones resonate?

Try this out when you are writing on LinkedIn - add sensory details to bring the scene you are describing to life. Notice when other people do it.

How many posts about hybrid/remote work lack sensory detail about the work itself?