*What’s more persuasive than data, more memorable than a quote, and more powerful than a pitch?*

A *mistake*.

Not a polished success story.
Not a flawless performance.
But a real, honest *mess-up*–and what you learned from it.

Here’s why:
According to a study published in the *Journal of Consumer Psychology*, people are more likely to trust and relate to someone who shows vulnerability–especially when that person is otherwise competent. It’s called the **Pratfall Effect**.

In storytelling, this means your *flaws* can make you more credible.
More human.
More *believable*.

Try this:
Next time you’re telling a story–whether in a meeting, keynote, or casual conversation–don’t skip the part where things went sideways.

Examples:
[?] “I completely misread the room. Halfway through the pitch, I realized I was solving the wrong problem.”
[?] “We launched too early. The tech broke. But that’s when we discovered what our users *really* needed.”
[?] “I thought I had to have all the answers. Turns out, asking better questions was the real leadership move.”

One thing to try:
Pick a story you usually tell as a win.
Now rewrite it to include the *moment you got it wrong*.
Then show how you recovered–or what it taught you.

Because people don’t connect with perfection.
They connect with *progress*.

#Storytelling #AuthenticLeadership #VulnerabilityInLeadership #BusinessStorytelling #PresentationSkills #PublicSpeaking #Neuroscience #ExecutivePresence #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipCommunication