Kanohi ki te Kanohi Storytelling: the MAGIC AI will never replace.

AI is clever. It can draft reports, crunch data, even write you a passable LinkedIn post. However.......AI doesn’t know what it feels like to stand in front of a room full of people with your heart racing. It doesn’t know the magic of making someone laugh at just the right moment, or how to relish in the silence that sits and connects you with people when you share something raw and true.

That’s the difference. That’s the edge. That's the magic.

Because storytelling - real, human, kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) storytelling - is a taonga (treasure). It’s been the way we’ve passed down wisdom for generations. It’s how we make sense of the world. And it’s still the most powerful tool we’ve got for connection, influence, and change.

Why business needs stories now more than ever

Would it be fair to say that life is hyperdriven and most of us are drowning in noise?

I hear ya.

Emails. Meetings. Social media feeds. Everyone is fighting to be heard. But what cuts through it all isn’t more noise.

It’s a story. I know this. I've experienced it. And chances are, if you've encountered other humans during your day and answered that typical Monday question 'How was your weekend?', then you've probably shared a story or two in your lifetime as well.

A story makes people lean in. A story makes information stick. A story makes you unforgettable. The best leaders, the ones people actually remember, aren’t the ones with the fanciest slides or the most bullet points. They’re the ones who can tell a story that connects, inspires, and moves people to action.

Where AI fits in

Don’t get me wrong. AI is a brilliant tool! I use it to spark ideas, spellcheck my content, even give me an astrological reading for the week ahead! Let it handle the spreadsheets, the research, even the rough drafts. But don’t let it replace the part that only you can bring: your voice, your story, your heart.

Because no algorithm can replicate the moment you share something vulnerable and someone in the audience whispers, “me too.” No chatbot can create the ripple effect that happens when your story inspires someone else to tell theirs. That’s human-to-human magic. And it’s not going anywhere.

The ripple effect

Here’s what I believe: one story can change a moment. It's like dropping a pebble in a pond, creating ripples that disrupt what we see, what we think, and even how we feel.

That story can also change a life. And when enough people share their stories, that ripple becomes an incredible wave of change. Even a movement. That blows my mind.

And that’s why I do what I do as a speaker and a trainer.

Storytelling isn't just for water cooler conversations, or catch ups with friends. It's a powerful conduit of connection that you can use with colleagues, teams, in boardrooms, on stages, on camera, AND around the dinner table.

When you own your story, you own your power. And when you share it, you give others permission to step up and do the same. And that really is magic.

So, AI might be the future of efficiency and productivity......and so many other things.

But storytelling?

That’s the future of leadership, influence, and connection. And that’s a future worth investing in.