A Distinctive Raconteuse

Being Neighbourly x Soundari Mukherjea, Soundbytes 11

Author/ Being Neighbourly
30 April 2025

I believe in connections and serendipity. As human beings, we all seek connections”, says Soundari Muhkerjea, Founder of Soundbytes 11, recalling the energetic conversation we had when we first met, both of us talking a mile a minute.

For the past decade, Mukherjea has been assisting organizations in crafting their strategies and enhancing their internal and external communication. This aligns with the principles of ‘Business Storytelling’, she says, a practice that has been around since the days of our ancient ancestors”, adding that for this reason, she chose a logo depicting two people talking, represented by the two sticks and the conversation bubbles… “Business Storytelling is about building deep connections through conversations.”

Muhkerjea’s freelancing journey started when she moved to Bahrain in 2001 and had the opportunity to freelance for a “friend/mentor” who was based out of Saudi Arabia. “As a new mom, I can’t tell you how liberating it was to have the flexibility, while doing purposeful work,” she shares.

According to Mukherjea, stories are the best way to engage with people and the most effective leaders share examples to make a point. “Facts and figures go to the head and stories go to the heart. This leads to engagement and helps drive outcomes.”

To drive home her point, she recalls listening to John Flint, the former CEO of HSBC in a podcast. “He shared, ‘In my 30-year career, I must have made a million PowerPoint slides – nobody remembers those. I told stories along the way, personal stories, high points, low points, successes, failures and people are still talking about them.’”

Mukherjea says that the common factor in storytelling is its usually simple words in a world in which we are fighting for three things: Attention, Comprehension and Retention and thar it’s the one way to cut through the noise in this information overloaded, content rich, distracted world.

“Working with clients, I hear, ‘Our leaders are not impactful in communicating change, and, are, therefore, not inspiring action,’ ‘Sales folks are not connecting to their clients’, ‘Analysts are talking data and not moving to insights,’ – problem statements that are countered through her work.

“Storytelling fosters human connection and trust. Unlike dry facts and figures, stories resonate because they activate the same brain regions as lived experiences, making them memorable and impactful. By clearing our minds and opening us to communication, stories create sliding-door moments where trust and relationships can form, even between strangers.”

Mukherjea emphasises that sharing stories can drive outcomes and be used to: improve communication, for example, in sales; explain strategies or the reasoning behind changes; overcome resistance and implement change; and turn data into insights, for example in presentations or interviews.

“Part of the power of stories is that they don’t try to persuade people. Stories are an invitation to understand another’s perspective.”

Over time, Mukherjea has transitioned into specialized Consulting, Facilitation, Training and Leadership Development; while, additional verticals, such as being Visiting Faculty, mentoring, coaching and collaborating with NGOs, she says, have developed naturally.

“Other than Strategic Storytelling, I consult and facilitate on Leadership Development programs, Personal Branding, Behaviour skills programs, Bringing alignment within the organisation, and so forth. I am ‘Visiting faculty’, a mentor, coach and on the board of an NGO, as Founding ExCo member of EMPOWER by The Amber Foundation and Independent Director of a school trust.”

Mukherjea has also been part of the curation team and a Speaker Coach for TEDxTHW (TinHau Women) for the last couple of years. “ It has been enriching to be part of a journey that helps people bring their ideas to life.”

What is the best thing about the work that you do?

“A friend of mine, Leena Nair, shared this about what she heard from one of Unilever’s non-executive directors, Andrea Jung,” says Soundari Muhkerjea, Founder of Soundbytes 11.

“She said: ‘Follow your compass, not your clock.’

This has guided me in how I have created a Portfolio career for myself; to soak things up, gather information from the ecosystem and apply it elsewhere.

The other bit of advice I read in an article and have taken to heart – it is also very relevant in this uncertain, ambiguous world today. It is by Miku Hirano, Co-Founder & CEO of Cinnamon, who said, ‘I think that fixating your dream within your current mind and ability is limiting yourself. That is why I continuously update my dreams — as I grow, evolve and learn, so do my dreams.’”

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