If you want the best out of your team, you can’t bludgeon them with data and expect it to stick. Numbers inform, but stories are what people remember, repeat and act on. Gabrielle Dolan is a leading expert on business storytelling, having worked with organisations including Australia Post, National Australia Bank and Accenture. She is the author of six books on leadership communication. 

She explores why the brain is wired for story, and how storytelling builds trust, clarity and influence. Gabrielle also highlights common mistakes, the risks of inauthentic storytelling, and how to use simple, real stories to bring strategy to life. 

Takeaways 

• Stories drive action because people remember emotion before logic.
• Leaders overuse data because it feels safer than storytelling.
• If people do not understand, communication responsibility sits with you.
• Authentic stories build trust, credibility and emotional connection with teams.
• Short, clear stories outperform long, rambling explanations every time.
• AI can assist storytelling but cannot replace real human experience.
• Culture is shaped by stories that spread through organisational grapevines.
• Great leaders use multiple stories to bring strategy to life.

Follow Gabrielle Dolan
https://gabrielledolan.com/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielledolan/ 

Gabrielle’s books
Stories for Work: The Essential Guide to Business Storytelling https://amzn.to/4kUTkBc
Magnetic Stories: Connect With Customers & Engage Employees With Brand Story Telling https://amzn.to/4s0njKQ
Story Intelligence: The Craft of Authentic Storytelling, Made Smarter with AI https://amzn.to/4bqrbxT

Books recommended
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect https://amzn.to/470cD6x 

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners 

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Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/
Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO
Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process.
Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster.
Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life) 

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