Time's Up!

2We All Have a Story—Here's a New One for You

On June 2, 2021, I received an email from a friend of mine, Bernadette Jiwa. That single email was to forever change the way I connect and communicate with the people I serve and know.

This single email was one of those moments in time that changes outcomes.

Moments really are extremely critical. As a friend of mine puts it, “Where you are in your life and your business today is simply the result of your reaction to the key moments in your life that brought you here right now.”

Bernadette's email to me was absolutely one of those moments. It was a call to action. (We hope that's precisely how you'll see this book—a moment in time that changes outcomes for you, for your team members and for the customers you serve.)

The email had this simple subject line:

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.”

Of course, we all know about the power of stories. We know that our ancestors communicated life‐lessons and much more by passing on stories. Anthropologists tell us that, as a direct result, the power of stories is in our DNA.

It's as if when we hear the words “I want to tell you a story,” or even as kids, “Once upon a time …” our ears prick up. We lean in. The storyteller has our full attention. Great films, great speeches, great books all have brilliantly crafted story “arcs.”

So, when I saw that “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller” subject line, I naturally opened the email.

And I learned that ...