#387 Why Technical Leaders Need Storytelling Before Slides

Dr. Darren Pulsipher (0:00)

Welcome to Embracing Digital Transformation. Before we dive in, I wanted to personally thank you for listening. Many of the ideas we discuss on this show inspired my new book, AI Augmented Teams. If you're looking for practical ways to combine human expertise and AI to achieve better outcomes, I think you'll find it valuable. Learn more at paidar.ai.ai.ai.ai.

That is paidar.ai.ai.ai.ai.

books. Now, let's get started with the show.

Nir Zavaro (0:30)

So I think we're misusing, if I may, misusing AI, and I'll explain. We did not just use slides as the crutch. We rely completely on them as if we don't even have legs.

And it doesn't work. And we can't just walk with the crutches.

Dr. Darren Pulsipher (0:50)

Why this matters to you. Most technical leaders still lose the room before the decision is made. The problem is rarely the idea itself. It is the way that idea gets buried inside slides, jargon, and too much detail. In an environment where every meeting competes for attention, the leaders who can make complex issues clear will move faster, earn trust sooner, and create momentum when it counts. Let's look at why the story matters more than the deck.

Welcome to Embracing Digital Transformation. This is Dr. Darren. On this episode, why technical leaders need storytelling before slides with Nir Zavaro.

Neer, welcome to the show.

Nir Zavaro (1:47)

Thank you very much for having me.

Dr. Darren Pulsipher (1:50)

I'm really interested in this conversation day because this is kind of a passion of mine, is to figure out how to help people in with... There's so much going on. How in the world do we train people about technology with... I just... There's lots... There's lots on bundle here. But before we go there, everyone that listens to my show knows that I only have superheroes on the show. Every superhero has an origin story, a background story.

And we know Spider-Man. That movie is gone. Gang Busters, great movie, by the way.

Nir Zavaro (2:25)

Crazy.

Dr. Darren Pulsipher (2:26)

Yeah. So, Nir, what's your Spidey story? What's your background story?

Nir Zavaro (2:32)

Yeah. I think I'm one of the lucky ones who get to do what they love for a living and people actually pay money for, you know. So, I was always fascinated with stories. I would... I remember in the 1980s when I was growing up, I would watch movies and TV for hours. Loved it. Loved computer games and all the quests and stuff. And I always thought that's something I would do when I grow up. I loved writing in school.

Then somehow, I went into sales and I was setting snowboards in Israel for many years.

Dr. Darren Pulsipher (3:02)

Wait, snowboards in Israel?

Nir Zavaro (3:04)

Yeah. So, I always...

Dr. Darren Pulsipher (3:05)

Is there snow in Israel?

Nir Zavaro (3:08)

We have one tiny mountain up north, and about the time, about 30, 40, 50,000 people every year would fly to Europe and so on.

Dr. Darren Pulsipher (3:17)

Okay.

Nir Zavaro (3:17)

I always joke that if I can sell snowboards in the desert, everything else is easy.

Dr. Darren Pulsipher (3:22)

I was going to say that.

Nir Zavaro (3:26)

Imagine selling snowboards in April. People are already at the beach, so people would come with flip-flops and sand. They're like, yeah, I'm thinking about buying a snowboard. Okay, now I come out. I'm with flip-flops in shorts. And that's how you start selling shit. And I was like, I studied communications. I always loved it. I wanted to marketing and brand management. And I always loved the idea of telling a different story. Funny enough, there were two things I needed to do. I felt I wanted to do. One, I wanted to teach.

And I always say that the reason I went back to my old college to teach is I wanted to get my money back. And the second thing is I felt I could be better. I wasn't good enough. And sometimes, you probably know this, you go on stage, you're a bit nervous. You scramble to find your words. You don't exactly what to do. But I was always kind of funny. And at the bar, I had the best stories. But I felt I could do it better. And it always bothered me. And years pass, I did a lot of different work, company built, owned four different bars. So I know everybody in the nightlife. And over the years, I always said when I lose everything and I have time or when you make enough money and you'll have time, I'll write a book. And the first book I did was after the first bar. I lost everything. I lived on my friend's couches.