Channeling conflict in storytelling

Although storytelling is a powerful way to communicate in business, many narratives fall flat, missing the vital spark that ignites engagement: conflict.

Conflict fuels compelling business stories by adding tension, defining stakes, and driving resolution; enabling messages to resonate and audiences to connect.

Conflict is the engine of every captivating narrative as it introduces challenges, dilemmas, or obstacles a protagonist must conquer. This helps to create an arc that draws the audience in and beyond bland recitations of product features.

Conflict is vital to highlighting a buyer’s unmet need and how this may be addressed. This helps to make the story relatable as audiences inherently understand and empathise with struggle.

A clear conflict clarifies the stakes, revealing what's at risk and why the journey to a solution matters. This emotional investment transforms abstract data or corporate speak into a human experience, making information memorable and impactful.

Applying conflict in business storytelling takes many forms, each designed to spotlight a company's unique value or journey. One approach is to cast the customer as the hero and their problem as the villain.

Here, the narrative zeroes in on a specific pain point the target audience faces. Your business then becomes the wise guide, the ally providing the solution that empowers the customer to overcome their obstacle and achieve their desired outcome.

This framework, championed by methodologies like StoryBrand, keeps the customer central, ensuring the solution feels profoundly relevant and compelling.

Alternatively, the founder or company can be the hero, battling an entrenched industry standard, a market inefficiency, or a pressing societal issue. This narrative often unveils the business's origin story, showcasing the initial frustration or visionary spark that led to its creation.

Imagine a tech startup recounting how its founders wrestled with outdated systems or a lack of accessible solutions, ultimately innovating to disrupt the status quo. This type of conflict demonstrates courage, foresight, and a genuine commitment to making a difference, forging a powerful brand identity rooted in purpose.

Conflict can also emerge as internal challenges faced by a team or the organization itself. Stories of overcoming these internal hurdles—a difficult project, a period of significant change, or a complex problem demanding collaborative effort—highlight resilience, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Such narratives humanise the company, proving that even successful entities encounter obstacles and are capable of learning and evolving.

These stories are particularly potent for internal communications, fostering shared purpose and celebrating collective achievements. Furthermore, brands can leverage conflict by taking a stand against an opposing philosophy or societal issue, aligning their values with a particular cause and creating a strong "us vs. them" dynamic that resonates deeply with like-minded customers.

To wield conflict effectively in business storytelling, several considerations are paramount. First, pinpoint the core conflict most relevant and resonant to your audience. This could be a widespread customer pain, a systemic industry flaw, or a significant challenge your company masterfully navigated.

Second comes depicting the struggle; the journey to resolution often hits harder than the solution alone. This is time to detail the obstacles, the moments of doubt, and the sheer effort involved.

Third, the conflict can personalised with relatable language, real-life examples, or even hypothetical scenarios that allow the audience to see themselves within the narrative.

Finally, always ensure a clear resolution and transformation. The conflict must lead to a positive outcome, powerfully demonstrating your value proposition and leaving the audience inspired.

By strategically integrating conflict, businesses can transform dry facts into captivating narratives that seize attention, evoke emotion, build trust, and drive action.

Whether it's the customer conquering a problem, the founder challenging the status quo, or a team overcoming internal hurdles, the presence of conflict makes a business story authentic, memorable, and ultimately, far more effective in achieving its strategic objectives.