storyteLLIng desIgn 172 desIgn 172 As parents, we read stories to our kids, sometimes the same ones we heard as children ourselves. As colleagues, we share the latest organizational gossip. And as friends, we tell one another stories of our personal lives. Somehow, it is only in our roles as business- people that we avoid using stories. This is unfortunate. When was the last time you heard a story used to introduce and discuss a business issue? Storytelling is an undervalued and underused art in the world of business. Let’s examine how storytelling can serve as a powerful tool to make new business models more tangible. By their very nature, new or innovative business models can be diffi cult to describe and understand. They challenge the status quo by arranging things in unfamiliar ways. They force listeners to open their minds to new possibilities. Resistance is one likely reaction to an unfamiliar model. Therefore, describing new busi- ness models in a way that overcomes resistance is crucial. Just as the Business Model Canvas helps you sketch and analyze a new model, storytelling will help you effectively communicate what it is all about. Good stories engage listeners, so the story is the ideal tool to prepare for an in-depth discussion of a business model and its underlying logic. Storytelling takes advantage of the explanatory power of the Business Model Canvas by suspending disbelief in the unfamiliar. Storytelling’s Value — bmgen_final.indd 172 6/15/10 5:43 PM