Stories are the oldest and stickiest form of human communication. We have been telling verbal and visual stories since we lived in caves. In fact, we process the information around us into stories – it is how we make sense of the world.

Yet, sadly, modern businesses are the first human tribes to not use stories as part of their culture. They suffer because of it.

We all sit through endless presentations full of assertions and facts with bad PowerPoint and forget them the minute they are over. We even have a phrase that everyone in business knows – Death by PowerPoint – for which the only solution is to integrate good stories.

And yet few business people do. Over 90% of businesses say that communication is one of their biggest challenges, Yet few spend the time or resource to integrate stories into their communication.

Storytelling is what I do. Not fairy tales or hero’s quest stories. Business stories. Short, practical stories that connect with people on both an emotional and intellectual level.

Most great sales people are good storytellers. Most great leaders are good storytellers. All great cultures have stories as their glue.

So what are your stories? What are your company stories? Who tells them? Who knows them?

If you don’t know, you’re missing one of your most important assets.