everyone likes a good story

8:30pm and watching West Wing with Mrs theWeir.

This time over some food.

I've often answered the question "so, what do you do for a living" with "I help people tell stories". Partly because it's not a normal answer, partly because it's as vague as my job title and mainly because it's accurate. Well sort of.

It's what I have done and like to do, and often get to do.

Today at work I was in one of those meetings which is intended to see us come out with a clear sense of the story we want to tell to a potential customer. The thing was, no-one really had an idea of what we wanted to say. We were unclear on what we were going to provide, on what we wanted to offer, and at a basic level - about who the audience were and why our *services* were going to help them.

It's sometimes hard to pipe up when you are considered to be (at least in part) as the slide-jockey. Sure, I can try and make some presentations look clean(-ish), consistent and on-brand, but if the story isn't straight, then the prettiest slides in the world won't help.

I think watching the West Wing reminds me of the power of narrative, or good writing and ultimately of a clear story.

And everyone likes a good story.

Especially when it's true.