Why People Remember Stories
One of the communication techniques I have intentionally used throughout my professional career is storytelling.
Not because I believe I have the most interesting story in the room, but because I have learned that stories create opportunities for people to connect with one another.
As a veteran and a Veterans Service Representative, I have had the opportunity to interact with veterans from very different backgrounds and with colleagues who have their own experiences, perspectives, and professional goals.
Those interactions have taught me something important:
People are more likely to remember a meaningful connection than a perfect introduction.
I Use My Story to Create Connection
When I meet someone, I don’t think of communication as simply exchanging information.
I think about what creates a reason for us to continue the conversation.
My experience as a veteran is part of my professional story. My education, career transitions, leadership experiences, communication background, and work with veterans are also part of that story.
I don’t have to tell someone my entire life story.
I can simply share the part of my experience that creates a point of connection.
For example, when speaking with another veteran, military service may immediately create common ground.
When speaking with a professional colleague, I may connect through leadership, communication, education, career development, or a shared professional challenge.
When speaking with a client, I may connect through the experience of navigating something unfamiliar or complicated.
The story becomes a communication bridge.
Storytelling Helps Me Become Memorable
In professional environments, we meet many people.
We exchange names.
We exchange titles.
We exchange business cards and LinkedIn connections.
But what makes someone memorable?
Often, it is not their title.
It is the connection we experienced with them.
When I share a meaningful piece of my experience, I am giving another person something they can connect to.
They may think:
“I’ve experienced something similar.”
“I understand what she’s talking about.”
“I’d like to know more.”
That creates another conversation.
And another conversation can become a relationship.
A relationship can become collaboration.
A collaboration can become an opportunity.
That is how I see storytelling as a professional communication tool.
My Goal Is Not to Sell Myself
This is especially important in networking.
I don’t see networking as convincing everyone that they need me.
I see networking as creating mutual recognition.
I want people to understand:
Who I am.
What I care about.
What I know.
What I am learning.
What I can contribute.
And I also want to understand who they are.
That changes networking from:
“What can you do for me?”
to:
“What can we learn from each other?”
That is a much more meaningful conversation.
From Client Relationships to Professional Relationships
My experience working with veterans has reinforced this idea for me.
Every person I encounter has a story.
When I take the time to listen, I learn something about their perspective.
When I share appropriately from my own experience, I give them an opportunity to understand mine.
That exchange creates something more valuable than information.
It creates relational context.
And relational context matters in our careers.
People work with people they know.
People collaborate with people they trust.
People refer people they remember.
People open doors for people they have developed meaningful professional relationships with.
This does not mean relationships guarantee opportunities.
It means that communication creates the conditions in which professional relationships can develop.
The Career Connection
This is why I teach storytelling as part of professional communication.
Your career is not built only through your résumé.
It is also built through the conversations you have.
The relationships you establish.
The way people experience communicating with you.
The ideas people associate with you.
And the stories people remember about your contribution.
For me, storytelling has become one way of intentionally shaping those relationships.
Not by pretending to be someone I am not.
Not by manipulating people.
But by communicating authentically enough that people have something meaningful to connect with.
The Story People Remember
I often think about this question:
“When someone finishes a conversation with me, what do I want them to remember?”
Maybe it is an idea.
Maybe it is something I taught them.
Maybe it is a shared experience.
Maybe it is simply the feeling that the conversation mattered.
That question changes the way I communicate.
Instead of focusing only on:
“What do I want to say?”
I begin asking:
“What connection can I create?”
That is the difference between simply communicating information and communicating in a way that builds relationships.
My Reflection as a Coach
I don’t teach storytelling because everyone needs to become a professional storyteller.
I teach it because we are constantly telling people who we are through the way we communicate.
Our stories reveal our experiences, values, perspectives, and possibilities.
When we learn to communicate those things intentionally, we become more effective at building relationships—with clients, colleagues, leaders, collaborators, and professional networks.
For me, storytelling has been one of the tools I’ve used to create positive professional relationships around me.
And those relationships have helped create conversations, connections, learning opportunities, collaborations, and possibilities for my career.
Your story is not simply something that happened to you.
It is also part of how you communicate who you are, what you bring to the table, and how others can connect with you.
That is why people remember stories.
And that is why, from a communication perspective, the stories we choose to share—and the way we listen to other people’s stories—can become an important part of building a meaningful career.
A note from my perspective:
This reflection is based on my personal experiences and observations as a veteran, professional, and coach. It is not intended to represent the policies, positions, or practices of my employer or any organization with which I am affiliated.
I believe communication is one of the most powerful tools we have for building meaningful professional relationships. Storytelling is one of the ways I have learned to connect with clients, colleagues, and professional communities while creating relationships that can grow beyond a single conversation.
If you are thinking about how communication, storytelling, leadership, or self-advocacy can shape your professional journey, I invite you to explore more of my work.
Visit my website: iamjustbarb.com
There you’ll find reflections, resources, coaching, mentoring, and practical tools designed to help you communicate with greater intention and build a professional identity that reflects who you are and where you’re going.
Until next time, take care and keep shining! 👋🏽✌🏽🐝
Yes, I use AI.
I believe in using the technology and tools available to me to support my creativity, organize ideas, explore possibilities, and bring concepts to life. AI is one of the tools in my toolbox—not a replacement for my experience, perspective, or voice.
Technology continues to evolve. So do we.
