How Good Ideas Survive

I was teaching a class on business storytelling to a group of scientists.

Early on, someone asked if storytelling was a “soft skill” and whether it was less important than other “hard skills.” The implication was that the most logical recommendations would be adopted, independent of one's ability to tell a story.

As I was thinking about how to respond, one of the senior leaders in the room raised his hand.

He said that what he’s observed over his career is this:
The best ideas don’t always get adopted.

In fact, he had seen average ideas gain traction because they were presented clearly and supported by a story that made sense to non-technical senior leaders.

At the same time, he’s watched stronger ideas and better solutions get passed over because the person proposing them didn’t communicate them well.

That’s why I started Hubbard Communication.
The best ideas should rise to the top.

But too often, they get buried under unclear thinking and poor delivery.

Effective communication isn’t a “soft skill.”
It’s how good ideas survive.