243: Three Words to Your Next Story

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Jan 27, 2026

Park Howell, a 40-year brand storytelling veteran and creator of the 'and, but, therefore' framework, explains why story structure maps to human biology. He explores the ABT three-word tool, using short narratives to win five-minute meetings, why emotion must lead logic, common storytelling mistakes in organizations, and how AI like the Story Cycle Genie can speed brand narrative work.

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INSIGHT

Story Is Wired Into Human Biology

Humans plan, organize, and act in story because story maps to our biology.
Park calls storytelling the 'science and bewitchery' that transmits energy and moves people to act.

ADVICE

Use 'And, But, Therefore' To Hook Brains

Use the three-word ABT framework: And, But, Therefore to structure any persuasive message.
Begin with agreement, introduce a contradiction, then show the consequence and call to action.

ADVICE

Win Short Meetings With A 90-Second Story

In short meetings open with a 15-second ABT to connect emotionally, then tell a one-minute anecdote showing the problem.
Use the remaining time for logical steps and a concrete first action to get buy-in.

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What if the stories you tell about innovation are actually working against you? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I do something a little different. I open a new series by inviting other storytellers I deeply admire, people who bring their own lenses, frameworks, and lived experience to the craft of story.

I want you to think about storytelling as an expansive, evolving practice, not a single narrative you perfect once and reuse forever, but a skill you keep refining as your audiences, challenges, and ambitions change.

To begin that journey, I sat down with Park Howell, a 40-year veteran of brand storytelling and host of the Business of Story. Park shares how he found storytelling through advertising, why stories have a repeatable structure rooted in human biology, and what he calls the science and bewitchery behind stories that truly move people.

We unpack his deceptively simple "and, but, therefore" framework, why leaders lose rooms with bullet points, and how story becomes the bridge that helps people move from status quo thinking to real behavior change. We also explore why storytelling so often fails in organizations, especially when leaders make the story about themselves rather than their audience.

Park explains how innovation stories should focus on outcomes, not offerings, and why emotional connection must come before logic if you want ideas to stick. From the hero's journey and Joseph Campbell's influence to the reality of selling ideas in five-minute executive meetings, this conversation is packed with practical insights for anyone trying to communicate change under pressure.

We close by looking at how AI fits into modern storytelling, including Park's work on the Story Cycle Genie, and why emotional intelligence combined with artificial intelligence may shape the next era of leadership communication. If innovation is ultimately about getting people to move, decide, and act, how might your stories need to change to meet them where they are, and what could happen if you finally told the story they were waiting to hear?