Unmasking Authenticity: The Human Core of Business Storytelling

?? In a world plastered with fake grins and "all's well" facades, how do we find success but not lose touch with what's real?

?? Last night, an epic two-hour diary entry — a deep dive of thoughts, cut short by a sleepwalking child

(he also helped me develop the photo above in Adobe Lightroom)

???? I pondered hard vs. "smart" work, hitting upon authenticity's allusivity.

?? But who's keen on a sob story? We've each got a closet full.

? Authenticity suffers, so we hide behind hard facts, figures, and features. No room for the heart?

?? Stripped of emotion, we're half alive. Less passionate and engaged.

?? But isn't it eMOTION that propels us forward (from Latin ēmoveō, to stir up, agitate)?

?? And isn't ACTION business's lifeblood?

?? Everyone — child midnight wander or CEO — craves the freedom of now.

??? Tools, ways, and routes to bliss? Infinite.

??? Thrill of speed.

???????? The warmth of family.

?? The promise of a promotion, stoking prosperity to buy immediate joy.

?? In the daily grind, ambition meets reality; we each craft our own narrative. Where we're going. Where we’ve been.

??? I've learned that a story isn't just nice or fun, it's a signal to others to join.

?? I've felt the edge of authenticity. It’s sharp. It can cut through noise, or it can cut those who hear it.

??? But when honed, it shapes a vision that others can hold onto.

?? Not to sell or command, but to connect. Like gears, our stories interlock, moving us forward.

?? It's not about a grand reveal or a perfect ending but the steady turn of narrative wheels that keeps us all in motion.

?? So I plant seeds of my story. They’re not grand tales of conquest but authentic snippets of trial and error, humbling stumbles.

?? Stories are bridges, offers to cross to common ground.

?? We can tell tales that lift spirits.

?? But what ascends must also descend.

?? Like the Grand Canyon, vast and ancient, it teaches — the cycle of rise and fall. Both visually and as we hike its depths.

?? How do we keep it genuine while emoting action?

I grapple with it, a mix of blunt honesty and restless curiosity laced with a jest that might rub wrong.

A rebel at heart, I tend to rock the boat.

This taught me the steadying hand of narrative — truth dressed in a story's appeal.

???? Embrace the ebb and flow.

The fall creates a need, sparks action, and leads to ascent — but descent comes again.

Support can come in wisdom or tools, and we find temporary victory... until the next chapter.

Do you see it, too?

In your work, how do you weave the thread of authenticity?

What story will you tell?

?Do you want to discover which powerful story type that will help you tell your story? To start, take our simple Business Story Type Assessment and unlock understanding and the transformative power of storytelling for your company and work. Then, book a 20-minute Story Assessment call to talk through our proven tools and techniques for crafting stories for the right people at the right time