“Story doing” Vs “storytelling” - can't we just do both?

It’s like that classic quote isn’t it, “tell me and I’ll ignore you, involve me and I’ll love you forever.” Or something like that. Well, that is the gist of “story doing.” And apparently, we should all be doing it. And I get it. I completely get it. And I like it. I just can’t help but roll my eyes when we have yet another catch phrase to describe what essentially every great brand builder has always done as a matter of course. But putting my cynicism aside for a moment, I do like the notion of story doing and storytelling. The idea that you convey your story not just through words, but action too. Absolutely. I read an article that defined “storytelling companies” as those that convey the story of their brand, business or product by telling that story, usually through PR or paid advertising. And "story doing companies" as those that use their story as an organising principle for activities throughout the company: new product development, recruiting, compensation, partnerships, as well as any communication that they create. And this is where the story doing Vs storytelling thing breaks down. You shouldn’t have to choose one over the other. Storytelling, done well, is active and participatory. After all, the goal of telling a story isn’t simply to communicate, it’s to engage. Companies that successfully blend the art of telling and doing, do so by putting their story at the center of their business, products and services. That story will typically have a higher purpose, one that is bought into by senior leaders outside the Marketing organisation. And crucially, that story is used to drive tangible action throughout the company, from product development to HR policy and everything in between.