Why the Best Story Always Wins (Even in Science and Business)

Article written by: Kolawole Temitope

Last month, I was on my way to Lagos, and I found myself sitting next to a young lady. We got talking, and I found out she works as an HR professional. Naturally, my curiosity kicked in. I asked her a bunch of questions about recruitment—what they look for, how they make decisions, and what really influences who gets hired and who doesn’t.

Then I asked her one question that really mattered to me:

"What is that one thing that always influences your decision?"

She didn’t even hesitate. “The ability to tell your own story,” she said.

I was intrigued. So, I pushed further.

"But what if someone is really good? What if they have all the right qualifications and skills but just aren’t great at talking about themselves?"

She smiled knowingly. “It happens all the time. People who are highly competent but don’t get hired. Because part of being competent is communication. We are humans—we judge by what we hear and see.”

That last sentence hit me.

We are humans. We judge by what we hear and see.

Not necessarily by what is true.

Not necessarily by what is fair.

But by what is effectively communicated.

At that moment, I thought about Gregor Mendel.

Mendel was a monk who spent years obsessing over pea plants. He was meticulous, recording every detail of how traits passed from one generation to the next. He discovered what we now call the basic laws of genetics.

A genius ahead of his time.

But nobody cared.

He presented his work. He sent it to other scientists. But his ideas didn’t spread. His voice wasn’t loud enough. His storytelling wasn’t compelling enough.

He died unrecognized. Uncelebrated. Even doubting himself.

Years later, his work was rediscovered and declared a groundbreaking scientific discovery. Today, every student of biology knows his name.

Mendel was right. But the world didn’t listen—because he didn’t tell his story in a way that made them listen.

And it’s not just Mendel. It’s a pattern that repeats itself over and over again.

I turned back to my seatmate, and we both agreed on something.

It doesn’t matter how good you are.

It doesn’t matter if you have the best skills, the best ideas, the best work ethic.

If you don’t learn to tell your story, someone less qualified, less skilled, but better at communication will take the opportunity that could have been yours.

And this isn’t just about job interviews.

It’s about everything.

Businesses spend millions on branding, not just to have a great product but to make sure people see that it’s a great product.

Politicians with weak policies win elections because they tell their stories better than the ones with solid ideas.

Musicians, writers, and artists with less talent become global superstars while highly skilled ones remain unknown because they didn’t learn how to be seen.

The best story wins. Always.

Recently, I came across a post by Tunde Onakoya that put it so well. He said:

"One lesson my travels have taught me is that great things can go unseen for a really long time. It's not enough to be good at what you do. Tell your story and show up consistently. It doesn’t matter how many others do the same thing, trust that there’s a place in the world for you as well.”

That stuck with me. Because it’s true.

For a long time, I used to believe that if you just did good work, people would notice. But the world doesn’t work like that.

You have to show your work.

You have to tell your story.

You have to put yourself in places where people can see what you do.

That’s not bragging. That’s not self-promotion. That’s survival.

So, if you’re reading this and you’ve ever felt invisible—like you’re good at what you do but nobody seems to notice—maybe it’s time to change the way you tell your story.

Because, in the end, talent is important. Hard work is crucial.

But the best story always wins.

Link to original article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-best-story-always-wins-even-science-business-kolawole-temitope-suckf/