What does it mean to integrate storytelling in product? In this podcast hosted by VNS Health Product Director Mark Bailes, Innovation Storytellers CEO Susan Lindner will be speaking on the power of storytelling in product management. She shares her expertise on how product managers can craft compelling narratives to inspire their teams, gain buy-in from stakeholders, and drive action. Susan draws on her background in international aid and working with Fortune 500 companies to provide practical tips for effective storytelling throughout the product lifecycle.
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Show Notes
- Understanding the audience is the most important part of effective storytelling, not just the story itself.
- Developing an empathy map is key to deeply understanding the needs, wants, and behaviors of the target audience.
- Identifying the pain points and gain points for the audience is crucial when crafting the story.
- Great stories start with people, places, events, or objects as the core building blocks.
- Choosing a unifying theme for the story can help inspire and motivate the audience.
- When telling a story, consider what you want the audience to think, feel, do, and say afterwards.
- Repetition and user-generated content are indicators of effective storytelling.
- Finding early adopters and skeptics to spread the story can amplify its impact.
- Creating viral language and rallying cries can help keep the audience engaged.
- Context is critical – understanding the current environment and timing of the story is key.
- Storytelling is about the human, not just the product or technology.
- Grounding the story in how it makes people’s lives better is the most powerful approach.
- Balancing the vision with the current reality is important to avoid scaring the audience.
- Testing the story with a small group first can help refine it before wider delivery.
- Explaining the “why this, why now” behind the product is essential.
- Making a compelling case for action and the benefits of moving forward is crucial.
- Brevity and elegance in storytelling, like good Danish furniture, is ideal.
- Incorporating data and proof points can strengthen the narrative.
- Storytelling is a critical leadership and product management skill.
- Effective storytelling can drive productivity, engagement, and action.
About the speaker
About the host
I am passionate about using technology to solve problems and I take great pleasure in helping others to achieve their goals. I live these values every day working in Product.
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🎙️ Kudos to Susan Lindner for an incredible podcast on the art of storytelling! Susan shared so many powerful insights, reminding us that effective storytelling starts with deeply understanding the audience—their needs, wants, and behaviors. Developing empathy maps, identifying pain and gain points, and grounding stories in how they improve people’s lives are key. Great stories are built on people, places, events, or objects, with a unifying theme to inspire and motivate. Context, timing, and balancing vision with reality are critical, as is thinking about what you want the audience to think, feel, do, or say afterwards. Brevity, elegance, and testing your story with small groups can refine the narrative, while incorporating data and creating viral language amplify its impact. Storytelling isn’t just a skill—it’s a superpower that drives productivity, engagement, and action. Thank you, Susan, for sharing your wisdom and inspiring us to tell better stories! #Storytelling #Leadership #ProductManagement #Empathy #Communication #Inspiration