Brands trying to wrest greater control of their narratives are asking for ‘storytelling’ skill sets—without a campfire in sight
“The percentage of LinkedIn job postings in the U.S. that include the term “storyteller” doubled in the year ended Nov. 26, to include some 50,000 listings under marketing and more than 20,000 job listings under media and communications that mentioned the term, according to the professional-networking platform.”
Great share, Brad! I saw this article, too, and didn’t quite know what to make of it. What are your thoughts?
I saw it spread like wildfire on LinkedIn, but I worry folks are missing the point. I also worry that all of these storytellers supposedly getting hired will be discarded when story doesn’t translate to achieving unmanaged expectations.
Perhaps I’m a cynic.
It just seems more and more that there’s a hunger for resonance but total disregard for what creates it. At times it feels like an all-out dismissal. In the game of trust, stories are only as effective as their relevance.
On one hand it pains me to see another word get co-opted for gain. Just like happened with “community” over the past few years. So ya… it sucks that “storytelling” will no longer mean what it used to in the english language. On the other hand it excites me to see business entities taking on more humanistic ways of being over releasing next version of performance theater. Anything to put a little human friction back in the system is a welcome sight and worth losing a word to the zeitgeist.
I love this Derek. It's such a good reminder to center stories. My book is full of stories and I'm so proud of that. Right now I'm immersed in creating programs and learning the ropes for email marketing launches and sometimes I forget about the stories. But it's the stories we all crave, not info. Your grandpa sounds like a wonderful man.
Jane! A book full of stories is such an exciting accomplishment! Good for you. I so admire your commitment to learning and growing. Striking the balance of sharing both info and stories is exceptionally tricky, especially in the evolving world of email marketing. Sounds like you’ve got a firm grasp on the most important piece, though!
Thank you for reading. My grandfather was certainly a character—and a wonderful one indeed!
Thank you Derek. You have a special place in my heart so this means a lot to me. If you want to check out my book, I think today is the last day of the 99 cent sale for the Kindle version on Amazon. The name of the book is Deep Medicine for Trauma; 5 Powerful Treatments for Healing that Experts Have Overlooked. I'm super proud of it.
That’s amazing, Jane!! I will definitely check it out. And congrats! I remember when you were still in planning mode for the release…and now it’s a real thing that exists in the world because you made it. How cool is that?! Bravo!!
From the Wall Street Journal (12/12/2025)
Companies Are Desperately Seeking ‘Storytellers’
Brands trying to wrest greater control of their narratives are asking for ‘storytelling’ skill sets—without a campfire in sight
“The percentage of LinkedIn job postings in the U.S. that include the term “storyteller” doubled in the year ended Nov. 26, to include some 50,000 listings under marketing and more than 20,000 job listings under media and communications that mentioned the term, according to the professional-networking platform.”
Great share, Brad! I saw this article, too, and didn’t quite know what to make of it. What are your thoughts?
I saw it spread like wildfire on LinkedIn, but I worry folks are missing the point. I also worry that all of these storytellers supposedly getting hired will be discarded when story doesn’t translate to achieving unmanaged expectations.
Perhaps I’m a cynic.
It just seems more and more that there’s a hunger for resonance but total disregard for what creates it. At times it feels like an all-out dismissal. In the game of trust, stories are only as effective as their relevance.
On one hand it pains me to see another word get co-opted for gain. Just like happened with “community” over the past few years. So ya… it sucks that “storytelling” will no longer mean what it used to in the english language. On the other hand it excites me to see business entities taking on more humanistic ways of being over releasing next version of performance theater. Anything to put a little human friction back in the system is a welcome sight and worth losing a word to the zeitgeist.
Keep telling yours.
That’s the plan!
This might be my favorite thus far. Definitely 2 of my favorite people. So happy I got to call him my Dad. He was the best!
Dawww I’m glad you liked it. He certainly was!
I love this Derek. It's such a good reminder to center stories. My book is full of stories and I'm so proud of that. Right now I'm immersed in creating programs and learning the ropes for email marketing launches and sometimes I forget about the stories. But it's the stories we all crave, not info. Your grandpa sounds like a wonderful man.
Jane! A book full of stories is such an exciting accomplishment! Good for you. I so admire your commitment to learning and growing. Striking the balance of sharing both info and stories is exceptionally tricky, especially in the evolving world of email marketing. Sounds like you’ve got a firm grasp on the most important piece, though!
Thank you for reading. My grandfather was certainly a character—and a wonderful one indeed!
Thank you Derek. You have a special place in my heart so this means a lot to me. If you want to check out my book, I think today is the last day of the 99 cent sale for the Kindle version on Amazon. The name of the book is Deep Medicine for Trauma; 5 Powerful Treatments for Healing that Experts Have Overlooked. I'm super proud of it.
That’s amazing, Jane!! I will definitely check it out. And congrats! I remember when you were still in planning mode for the release…and now it’s a real thing that exists in the world because you made it. How cool is that?! Bravo!!
Thank you Derek!