Why the Best Leaders are Better Storytellers with Robin P. Zander

Welcome back to Snafu with Robin P. Zander.

In this episode, I’m doing something a little different: I step into the guest seat for a conversation with one of my good friends, Andrew Bartlow, recorded for the People Leader Accelerator podcast alongside Jessica Yuen.

We dive into storytelling, identity, and leadership — exploring how personal experiences shape professional influence. The conversation begins with a reflection on family and culture, from the Moroccan textiles behind me, made by my mother, to the influence of my father’s environmental consulting work. These threads of personal history frame my lifelong fascination with storytelling, persuasion, and coalition-building.

Andrew and Jessica guide the discussion through how storytelling intersects with professional growth. We cover how early experiences — like watching Lawrence of Arabia at a birthday sleepover — sparked curiosity about adventure, influence, and human connection, and how these interests evolved into a career focused on organizational storytelling and leadership.

We explore practical frameworks, including my four-part story model (Setup → Change → Turning → Resolution) and the power of “twists” to create momentum and memorability. The episode also touches on authentic messaging, the role of vulnerability in leadership, and why practicing storytelling in everyday life—outside high-stakes moments—builds confidence and executive presence over time.

Listeners will hear lessons from a lifetime of diverse experiences: running a café in the Mission District, collaborating with BJ Fogg on behavioral change, building Zander Media, and applying storytelling to align teams and organizations. We also discuss how authenticity and personal perspective remain a competitive advantage in an age of AI-generated content.

If you’re curious about how storytelling, practice, and presence intersect with leadership, persuasion, and influence, this episode is for you. And for more insights on human connection, organizational alignment, and the future of work, check out Snafu, my weekly newsletter on sales, persuasion, and storytelling here, and Responsive Conference, where we explore leadership, work, and organizational design here.

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Storytelling & Identity

• Robin introduces Moroccan textiles behind him

• Made by his mother, longtime practicing artist

• Connects to Moroccan fiancée → double meaning of personal and cultural

• Reflection on family influence

• Father: environmental consulting firm

• Mother: artist

• Robin sees himself between their careers

• Early Fascination with Storytelling

• Childhood obsession with Morocco and Lawrence of Arabia

• Watched 4-hour movie at age 6–7

• Fascinated by adventure, camels, storytelling, persuasion

• Early exposure shaped appreciation for coalition-building and influence

• Identity & Names

• Jess shares preference for “Jess” → casual familiarity

• Robin shares professional identity as “Xander”

• Highlights fluidity between personal and professional selves

• Childhood Experiences & Social Context

• Watching Lawrence of Arabia at birthday sleepover

• Friends uninterested → early social friction

• Andrew parallels with daughters and screen preferences

• Childhood experiences influence perception and engagement

• Professional Background & Storytelling Application

• Robin’s long involvement with PeopleTech and People Leader Accelerator

• Created PLA website, branding, documented events

• Mixed pursuits: dance, media, café entrepreneurship

• Demonstrates applying skills across domains

• Collaboration with BJ Fogg → behavioral change expertise

Storytelling as Connection and Alignment

• Robin: Storytelling pulls from personal domains and makes it relevant to others

• Purpose: foster connection → move together in same direction

• Executive relevance: coalition building, generating momentum, making the case for alignment

• Andrew: HR focus on connection, relationships, alignment, clarity

• Helps organizations move faster, “grease the wheels” for collaboration

• Robin’s Credibility and Experience in Storytelling

• Key principle: practice storytelling more than listening

• Full-time entrepreneur for 15 years

• First business at age 5: selling pumpkins

• Organized neighborhood kids in scarecrow costumes to help sell

• Earned $500 → early lessons in coalition building and persuasion

• Gymnastics and acrobatics: love of movement → performance, discipline

• Café entrepreneurship: Robin’s Cafe in Mission District, SF

• Started with 3 weeks’ notice to feed conference attendees

• Housed within a dance studio → intersection of dance and behavioral change

• First experience managing full-time employees

• Learned the importance of storytelling for community building and growth

• Realized post-sale missed opportunity: storytelling could have amplified success

• Transition to Professional Storytelling (Zander Media)

• Lessons from cafe → focus on storytelling, messaging, content creation

• Founded Zander Media (2018)

• Distributed small team, specializes in narrative strategy and video production

• Works with venture-backed companies and HR teams to tell stories internally and externally

• Provides reps and depth in organizational storytelling

• Why Storytelling Matters for Organizations

• Connects people, fosters alignment

• Enables faster movement toward shared goals

• Storytelling as a “powerful form of connection”

• What Makes a Good Story

• Robin: frameworks exist, but ultimately humans want:

• Education, entertainment, attention

• Sustained attention (avoid drift to TikTok, distractions)

• Framework examples:

• Hero’s Journey (Joseph Campbell) → 17 steps

• Dan Harmon’s 8-part structure → simplified version of Hero’s Journey

• Robin’s preferred model: 4-part story structure (details/examples forthcoming)

The Power of the Twist, and Organizational Storytelling

• Robin’s Four-Part Story Model

• Core idea: stories work best when they follow a simple arc

• Setup → Change → Turning (twist/reveal) → Resolution

• Goal: not rigid frameworks, but momentum, surprise, payoff

• The “Turning” (Twist) as the Sticky Moment

• Pixar example via Steve Jobs and the iPod Nano

• Setup: Apple’s dominance, market context, long build-up

• Choice point:

• Option A: just reveal the product

• Option B (chosen): pause + curiosity

• Turning: the “tiny jeans pocket” question

• Reveal: iPod Nano pulled from the pocket

• Effect: entertainment, disruption, memorability

• Key insight:

• The twist creates pause, delight, and attention

• This moment often determines whether a story is remembered

• Why Flat Stories Fail

• Example (uninspiring):

• “I ran a cafe → wanted more marketing → now I run Xander Media”

• Improved arc with turning:

• Ran a cafe → wanted to do more marketing → sold it on Craigslist → built Xander Media

• Lesson:

• A reveal or risk creates narrative energy

• The Four Parts in Practice

• Setup

• The world as it is (Bilbo in the Shire)

• Change

• Something disrupts the norm (Gandalf arrives)

• Turning

• Twist, reveal, or surprise (the One Ring)

• Resolution

• Payoff and return (Bilbo back to the Shire)

• How to Use This as a Leader

• Don’t force stories into frameworks

• Look at stories you already tell

• Identify where a disruption, surprise, or reveal could live

• Coalition-building lens

• Stories should move people into shared momentum

• Excitement → flow → aligned action

• Storytelling Mediums for HR & Organizations

• Employer brand ≠ separate from company brand

• Should be co-owned by HR and marketing

• Brand clarity attracts the right people, repels the wrong ones

• Strong brands are defined by:

• Who they are

• Who they are not

• Who they’re for and not for

• HR vs Marketing: The Nuance

• Collaboration works only if:

• HR leads on audience and truth

• Marketing supports execution, not control

• Risk:

• Marketing optimizes for customers, not employees

• HR understands attraction, retention, culture fit

• Storytelling at the Individual Level

• No one is “naturally” good or bad at storytelling

• It’s reps, not talent

• Practical advice:

• Know your ~15 core stories (career, company, turning points)

• Practice pauses like a comedian

• Notice when people lean in

• Opinionated Messaging = Effective Messaging

• Internal storytelling should:

• Be clear and opinionated

• Repel as much as it attracts

• Avoid:

• Corporate vanilla

• Saying a lot without saying anything

• Truth + Aspirational Truth

• Marketing and storytelling are a mix of:

• What is actually true

• What the organization is becoming

• Being “30% more honest” builds trust

• Including flaws and tradeoffs

• Example: budget brands, Southwest, Apple’s office-first culture

• Why This Works

• Opinions create personality

• Personality creates stickiness

• Stickiness creates memory, alignment, and momentum

Authenticity as the last real advantage

• We’re flooded with AI-generated content (video, writing, everything)

• Humans are extremely good at sensing what feels fake

• Inauthenticity is easier to spot than ever

• One of the few remaining advantages:

• Be true to the real story of the person or organization

• Not polished truth — actual truth

• What makes content feel “AI-ish”

• AI can generate volume fast

• Books, posts, stories in minutes

• What it can’t replicate:

• Personal specificity

• Why a story matters to you

• What an experience felt like from the inside

• Lived moments

• Running a café

• Growing into leadership

• What lasts:

• Personal story

• lesson learned

• relevance to this reader

• relevance to this relationship

• What content will win long-term

• Vulnerability

• Not oversharing, but real experience

• Personal perspective

• Why this matters to me

• Relevance

• Why it should matter to you

• Outcome

• Entertainment

• Insight

• Shared direction

• The risk of vulnerability (it can backfire)

• Being personal doesn’t guarantee buy-in

• Example: inspirational talk → employee openly disagrees

• Emotional deflation

• Self-doubt

• Early leadership lesson:

• You can do your best

• People will still push back

• Leadership at higher levels gets harder, not easier

• Bigger teams → higher stakes

• Better pay

• Benefits

• Real expectations

• First “real” leadership pain points:

• Bad hires

• Mismatched expectations

• Disgruntled exits

• Realization:

• Conflict isn’t failure

• It’s a sign you’ve leveled up

• “Mountains beyond mountains”

• Every new level comes with new challenges

• Entrepreneurship

• Executive leadership

• Organizational scale

• Reframe setbacks:

• Not proof you’re failing

• Proof you’re progressing

• Authenticity at the executive table

• Especially hard for HR leaders

• Often younger

• Often earlier in career

• Often underrepresented

• Anxiety is normal

• The table doesn’t feel welcoming

• Strategy:

• Name it

• “This is new for me”

• “I’m still finding my voice”

• Own it

• Ask for feedback

• Speak anyway

• Authenticity ≠ no consequences

• Being honest can carry risk

• Not every organization wants change

• Hard truth:

• You can’t change people who don’t want to change

• Sometimes the right move is leaving

• Guiding advice:

• Find people who already want what you offer

• Help them move faster

• Vulnerability as a competitive advantage

• Almost any perceived weakness can be reframed

• New

• Nervous

• Different

• When named clearly:

• It builds trust

• It creates permission

• It signals confidence

• Getting better at storytelling (practical)

• It’s not talent — it’s reps

• Shyness → confidence through practice

• Start small

• Don’t test stories when stakes are highest

• Practice specifics

• Your core stories

• Your pitch

• Energy matters

• Enthusiasm is underrated

• Tempo matters

• Pauses

• Slowing down

• Letting moments land

• Executive presence is built

• Incrementally

• Intentionally

Practice, Progress, and Learning That Actually Sticks

• Measure growth against yourself, not “the best”

• The real comparison isn’t to others

• It’s who you were yesterday

• MrBeast idea:

• If you’re not a little uncomfortable looking at your past work

• You’re probably not improving fast enough

• Important distinction:

• Discomfort ≠ shame

• Shame isn’t a useful motivator

• Progress shows up in hindsight

• Looking back at past work

• “I’d write that differently now”

• Not embarrassment — evidence of growth

• Example:

• Weekly newsletter

• Over time, clearer thinking

• Better writing

• Stronger perspective

• Executive presence is a practice, not a trait

• Storytelling

• Selling

• Persuasion

• Presence

• Core question:

• Are you deliberately practicing?

• Or just repeating the same behaviors?

• Practice doesn’t have to happen at work

• Low-stakes environments count

• Family

• Friends

• Everyday conversations

• Example:

• Practicing a new language with a dog

• Safe

• Repetitive

• No pressure

• Life skills = leadership skills

• One of the hardest lessons:

• Stop trying to get people to do what they don’t want to do

• Daily practice ground:

• Family dynamics

• Respecting boundaries

• Accepting reality

• These skills transfer directly to work

• Influence

• Communication

• Leadership

• Why practice outside of high-stakes moments

• When pressure is high

• You default to habits

• Practicing in everyday life:

• Builds muscle memory

• Makes high-stakes moments feel familiar

• How to learn (without overengineering it)

• Follow curiosity

• Pick a thread

• A name

• A book

• An idea

• Pull on it

• See where it leads

• Let it branch

• Learning isn’t linear

• It’s exploratory

• Learning through unexpected sources

• Example:

• Reading a biography

• Leads to understanding an era

• Context creates insight

• The subject matters less than:

• Genuine interest

• Sustained attention

• Career acceleration (simple, not flashy)

• Always keep learning

• Find what pulls you in

• Go deeper

• Press the gas

Where to find Robin

• Ongoing work lives in:

• Snafu (weekly newsletter on sales, persuasion, and storytelling)

• https://joinsnafu.com 

• Responsive Conference (future of work, leadership, and org design)

• https://responsiveconference.com