Don’t Just Work Hard, Make Them Fall in Love With the Way You Work
Edition 22: Make Your Work Impossible to Ignore (By Managers or Investors)
Welcome to Edition #022 of People Please! My mission with this newsletter is simple but ambitious: to help 100,000 professionals shift from being ‘People Pleasers’ to becoming ‘Culture-Builders.’
In this edition, we’re diving into a skill often dismissed as “soft” - storytelling.
But storytelling isn’t decoration. It’s direction. It’s the difference between being noticed... and being remembered.
The best professionals don’t just finish tasks, they shape how those tasks are experienced by others. They communicate with depth, lead with emotion, and make decisions that others want to follow.
Because in the noise of today’s workplace, it’s not the loudest who win, it’s the ones who can make others feel, believe, and act.
And that’s the power of a “Well-Told Story”.
Working hard is important. But in today’s fast-paced, visibility-driven professional world, hard work alone isn’t enough. If you want to earn real trust, attract leadership attention, or gain investor confidence, you have to do more than just deliver, you have to make people fall in love with what and how you work.
Hard work lays the foundation. But the real magic happens when you blend that hard work with strategy, emotional intelligence, self-awareness and weave all of that into a story.
Storytelling isn’t a soft skill, it’s a power skill.
Because it doesn’t just inform, it moves hearts, shapes minds, and earns acceptance without resistance. No hard selling needed, just a well-told truth.
When you’re not just doing the work but shaping the story around it, people don’t just notice your performance, they connect with it.
And when they connect with your journey, your challenges, and your wins, they don’t just approve your work, they advocate for your growth.
So don’t just work hard.
Work memorably. Work meaningfully. Work in a way they’ll retell.
Make your work a story worth sharing.
Why Storytelling is often misunderstood?
People confuse it with buttering up or people-pleasing, as if it’s just about saying what others want to hear.
But real storytelling isn’t about flattery or manipulation.
It’s about clarity, connection, and meaning.
It’s the skill of making people feel something real of helping them see the “why” behind the “what.”
It’s what transforms dry facts into insight, a pitch into a possibility, and your work into something people believe in.
So no, it’s not about sugarcoating.
It’s about truth told well. And that’s what makes it powerful.
Three Global Brands That Mastered Storytelling
1. Indian Butter Brand
Amul: The Taste of India
Storytelling Power:
Amul’s journey is the story of India’s White Revolution, farmer empowerment, and cooperative success. The iconic Amul Girl has been telling India’s political, cultural, and social stories for decades, always witty, relevant, and human.Why It Works:
They never just sell butter, they sell nostalgia, pride, and identity.
2. African Nation Building - a Brand
Dangote Group: The Story of Building Africa from Within
Storytelling Power:
Aliko Dangote’s rise from local trader to Africa’s richest man is a story of homegrown vision and national pride. The brand represents African self-reliance, not foreign dependence.Why It Works:
Dangote tells a story rooted in empowerment and transformation. “If you want to be rich, empower your community first.”
3. UK’s ‘London City’ a Brand
Why It’s Unique:
London itself is a storyteller. From Shakespeare’s Globe to the Tower of London, every landmark whispers history. The cobblestone streets carry tales of rebellion and rebirth.Cultural Branding:
London gave us Burberry, Vivienne Westwood, the Beatles, and BBC, all global brands born out of strong, cultural storytelling.Even the Tube Has a Voice:
“Mind the gap” is more than an announcement, it’s a symbol of British identity and design storytelling.Why It Works:
London shows us that places, like people, can tell stories. It proves that storytelling isn’t just marketing, it’s cultural currency, business advantage, and legacy builder.
10 Storytelling Tips for Your Career or Start-up
1. Don’t Just Share Information, Create an Experience
People don’t remember data. They remember how you made them feel. Frame even technical updates as a journey. Include emotion, tension, and resolution. “We were stuck, we almost gave up, but we found a way.”
2. Every Story Needs a Point
Ask: What do I want them to feel, think, or do? If there’s no takeaway, it’s just noise. Great stories land with meaning.
3. Use the 4-Part Story Arc:
Problem → Scenario → Solution → Progress
A simple but powerful structure that makes any idea more memorable.
4. Make the Listener the Hero
Position your audience, not yourself, as the one who wins. Whether it’s your manager, investor, or client, make them see themselves in your story.
5. Be Vulnerable, Not Perfect
People connect with truth, not polish. Share your doubts and struggles. Vulnerability builds trust.
6. Use Details That Paint a Picture
Instead of saying, “It was hard,” say, “We had 3 hours to fix a system crash that could’ve lost ₹5 lakh in claims.”
Specifics = Credibility + Emotion. Don’t overwhelm, but do help others visualise.
7. Speak How People Listen
Ditch jargon. Use clear, conversational language. If they can’t hear you, they won’t remember you.
8. Add Data into the Story, Not on Top of It
“Sales dropped 12% in Q2. But here’s what was happening on the ground…” That’s insight, not just reporting.
9. End with Meaning or a Call to Action
Stories are tools of influence. Always close with a message, decision, or emotional anchor.
10. Practice Stories Like Skills
You don’t have to be born a storyteller. Collect, craft, test, and refine.
Over time, it becomes your greatest asset, one that attracts investors, promotions, partnerships, and roles you once thought were out of reach.
Because people don’t just follow resumes, numbers, decks: they follow stories they believe in.
Best | Shikha Mittal | Founder, Be.artsy
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Why Trust Be.artsy?
Over the past 15 years, I’ve collaborated with 450+ organisations across 48 industries, designing and delivering culture + learning and developing programs impacting over 500,000 professionals through my enterprise, Be.artsy. which I founded in 2010 in Delhi, India.
The impact of Be.artsy’s work led to it being documented as a Harvard Business School Case Study. Be.artsy’s work has been widely featured in national and international media outlets including Forbes India, BBC, DW Media.
From small beginnings to global impact, Be.artsy has led the way in using learning programs to drive revenue. We're not just in the business of training—we’re in the business of Trainings with ROI! Today, we go beyond learning to deliver measurable impact.
For other business inquiries, please reach out to Be.artsy’s Growth Manager at adarsh@be-artsy.com.