Storytelling: From Bedtimes to Boardrooms
- Neha Suradkar
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Neha Suradkar
Co- Founder of YOGEE Beauty & Wellness Pvt Ltd
Assistant Professor (Fashion History, Styling)
Fashion and Design Educator, Entrepreneur, Style Coach™ and Advocate of Timeless Thinking
(The oldest human skill that defines success in the modern workplace)
Once Upon a Time…
Before communication skills became a résumé essential, stories were our first teachers. We were told stories at bedtime, in classrooms, during power cuts, and at the dinner table.
We learnt empathy from a Lion and a Mouse, focus from Arjuna, and adaptability from a thirsty crow. We did not realise it then, but those tales were life lessons in disguise. They were our earliest training in being human.
Fast-forward to today’s world of presentations, dashboards, and data. We may have swapped bedtime tales for boardroom slides, but the rule remains the same- the one who excels in telling the story gets heard.
Because stories connect with people- The teacher who builds curiosity through stories shapes minds, not just marksheets.
The designer who tells a story through design creates emotion, not just products. The stylist who understands the wearer’s story elevates identity, not just looks.
The doctor who listens to a patient’s story heals, not just treats. The leader who shares their lived experience earns loyalty, not just authority. The brand that builds meaning gets love, not just clicks.
We are drowning in information and are hungry for attention. Data informs, logic convinces, but stories… they are the ones that move hearts.
The Soft Skills Hidden in Stories
Long before ‘emotional intelligence’ and ‘resilience’ became buzzwords, stories taught us those lessons intuitively. They were told at bedtime, whispered by grandparents, acted out in Ramlila, and drawn in Amar Chitra Katha.
The lion’s mercy showed empathy; Arjuna’s focus taught clarity; the monkey’s wit reflected critical thinking; the crow’s persistence demonstrated resourcefulness; and bamboo’s calm flexibility in storms reminded us that real strength lies in adaptability, not resistance.
These tales from mythology and fables served as frameworks for emotional intelligence, long before HR introduced the term.
We may have forgotten the details, but the lessons stayed.
From Fire Circles to Reels
From ancient campfires to 30-second reels, storytelling has remained humanity’s oldest form of communication.
As children, many of us fell asleep to stories; stories of mythology, morals, fables, and family legends. I still remember my father narrating tales from the mythology, full of wit, valour, and layered wisdom.
Or my grandparents narrating their experiences from the time of partition, about resilience and rebuilding life from scratch.
Those stories not only entertained me, but they also formed me. They shaped my values, sparked my curiosity about mythology, history, and life, and taught me to see the world through layers of meaning.
Now that I am familiar with the basic narrative, I focus on the deeper context of life when I watch or read history or mythology. And that early exposure still shapes how I teach, create, and connect.
Whether it is a founder pitching an idea or a teacher explaining a concept, stories turn information into insight and make it more relatable.
We often mistake storytelling for flair to be incorporated in TED Talks or motivational speeches.
But the truth most of us underestimate is that someone who can tell the story almost always wins, not because of credentials or hard work, but because they make you feel their idea.
Storytelling is not only for authors or speakers. It is a professional tool, and one must learn to use it intentionally.
Start with “why.”
Facts tell people what you do. Stories tell them why it matters.
Pair data with emotion.
Numbers persuade faster when paired with meaning.
Share your journey.
People connect with honesty, not perfection.
Make it part of your culture.
Open meetings, classes, and presentations with a story, and watch attention follow.
The Bedtime Skill That Builds the Boardroom
The stories that once put us to sleep now wake audiences up.
Whether you are coding, consulting, or styling, if you can tell the story of your work, you can sell it, scale it, and spark change with it. Stories have the power to quiet noise, build connection, and move people.
Storytelling is not a skill we outgrow; it is the thread that connects our beginnings to our breakthroughs.
If you can carry that same wonder, empathy, and imagination from your childhood stories into your work today, you will make storytelling your greatest professional superpower.
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