The three silent killers of your story

“If you can’t explain the heat, let people feel it,” said former US president Ronald Reagan. In practice, that meant telling stories—even when the facts bounce off.

That sounds simple. But sadly, many companies trip themselves up when they reach for the ancient craft of storytelling. Even pros stumble over the ropes they laid out themselves. Here are three pitfalls you should dance around.

Killer 1: “It’s about the team.”

As a responsible leader, you may hesitate to step into the spotlight yourself. Understandable in terms of personnel policy—but communicatively fatal.

What stirs your audience are individual fates. Not the slick Mr. Perfect—but the desperate figure who picks themselves up against all odds. Cinderella. David versus Goliath. The dishwasher who becomes a millionaire.

Captain America was a kind-hearted weakling without friends. Wonder Woman a naive princess who only finds her calling through suffering. Even Superman wrestled with his own identity for years. These characters fascinate us because they convey hope—one of the most powerful human driving forces.

Have the courage to name your heroes. And let them charge to the front.

Killer 2: “We have the most modern IT.”

AI, digitalization, data—they move you enormously. So the urge to communicate every update is correspondingly strong. The result is usually: a sleeping pill.

Computer programs and open-plan offices all look alike—whether it’s a chocolate factory, a major bank or a pharmaceutical corporation. But watch a craftsman create something before your eyes, and you stop. Automatically.

Even a hip app has a structural communication disadvantage. If you want to overcome it, you need more brainpower—not more words. The right questions are: How does the application create a better world? How did it come about? And why?

The IT product isn’t the hero—the person who uses it is.

Killer 3: “That sounds too negative.”

Two primal forces drive us: love—and fear. And, thank God, love is the stronger of the two.

But what you learn in many marketing courses is wrong. They say: give everything negative a wide berth. “Problems” become “challenges.” “Health insurers” become “health managers.” The “laid off” become the “let go.” Anniversary publications fade out the dark chapters.

Yet a strong character owns their weaknesses. A hero’s rough edges fascinate us. Their vulnerability makes them approachable, likeable. The more openly you speak about crises and defeats, the more credible your success stories become.

Remember: perfection bores, vulnerability touches—and connects you with the people around you. The less you hold your story back, the faster it reaches your audience’s hearts.