A Good Consultant Is an Excellent Storyteller

In the modern business landscape, we are long past the days of decisions made on the basis of facts and figures. Today, it is the story you tell in service of those facts that makes or breaks a project (see: my previous thoughts on this issue). Storytelling is the essential process of connecting people, ideas and outcomes in a way raw data cannot. This means the ability to tell a compelling story is a critical skill that every consultant must possess. 

At the core of every client-consultant interaction is the need to communicate ideas and concepts effectively; without this ability, a consultant has little hope to succeed. Storytelling is a powerful tool in this regard. By crafting a narrative that resonates with stakeholders, consultants can inspire and motivate consumer action. This is because stories can help unify audiences around a shared understanding of complex issues, which makes it easier to get everyone on the same page. Stories also help people to see the bigger picture and understand how their contributions fit into a larger context.

But storytelling does not simply foster collaboration and spur action—it is also a powerful tool for building credibility with your audience. For consultants, therefore, storytelling becomes a way to demonstrate knowledge and experience, shifting their role from “expert” to “trusted advisor.” In the right hands, stories humanize complex ideas, which makes difficult concepts easier to understand. This ultimately has the effect of building trust with stakeholders: when consultants can identify and convey the emotional underpinning of an idea, everyone is able to build trust. By using stories to illustrate their points, consultants are able to establish themselves as credible and trustworthy partners. This can lead to stronger relationships with clients and increased opportunities for future work.

A possibly overlooked effect of this engagement is the manner in which storytelling helps build empathy. Remember: trust is built on the back of emotional communication. Connecting with stakeholders—not just on a logistical level but also on an emotional level—forges bonds built toward deeper insights as well as the stakeholder’s perspective. One of the overlooked downsides to Artificial Intelligence is the inability for machines to meet the human need to be understood. When consultants can build emotional trust with their clients, they are then able to identify gaps in knowledge, address client concerns and ultimately deliver better outcomes. 

Which brings us to the most important benefit storytelling delivers to consultants: it helps differentiate them from their competition. In a crowded marketplace, the ability to tell a compelling story is often the skill that sets one consultant apart from another. Every client is looking for a consultant who knows how to not only provide insights and recommendations but also to inspire action and drive change. Telling a powerful story can be the deciding factor in winning a new client or retaining an old one.

When you add it all up, the conclusion is clear: storytelling is critical for consultants. What other skill helps you to foster collaboration, inspire action, build credibility, promote empathy, and differentiate you from the competition? There is no question that data and information are essential tools for consultants, but in the modern business era, the ability to tell a compelling story can make all the difference for your clients and for your company.