Stories are leadership infrastructure
Stories aren't creative decoration. When they're honest enough, they don't just communicate — they compound, becoming the operating system of your culture.
Bryan Adams · New from LID Publishing
Truth doesn't
speak for itself.
It has to be sold.
The new book on business storytelling and narrative leadership. Learn the TRUTH Framework to turn honest stories into trust, culture and lasting competitive advantage.
★★★★★ Advance praise from Nir Eyal · Jonah Berger · Mark Schaefer
Foreword by
Mark Schaefer
Mark Schaefer
The storytelling thinking behind talent & culture at
NIKEAppleAmerican AirlinesZoomGlassdoorNational GridThe big idea
Facts don't change behaviour. Stories do.
We're living through a trust recession. AI has made authenticity a luxury. You can have the most accurate facts in the world and still fail to earn belief.
Truth is not self-executing. It has to be shaped, given context and delivered so it resonates emotionally before it persuades logically. Sell The Truth is the storytelling engine that turns what's true about your business, your brand and your culture into something people actually believe — and act on.
Explore the book
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Don't take our word for it.
Don't take our word for it.
Watch the framework work on your words.
Paste any message, story or job ad into the TRUTH Story Audit and see, in 60 seconds, exactly where it's winning belief — and where it's leaking it. It's the whole book, made tangible.
Inside the book
Five ideas that will change how you communicate
The insights leaders are quoting from Sell The Truth — drawn from two decades inside the world's most admired brands and 50+ interviews with the planet's best storytellers.
Truth should filter, not flatter
The best storytelling repels the wrong people as powerfully as it attracts the right ones. Reveal the honest friction and watch belief — and fit — go up.
Belief is built in the brain
The neuroscience is clear: emotion comes before logic. Learn the brain chemistry that makes a story land — and how to trigger it on purpose.
Tension is the engine of trust
Real struggle creates real trust. The stories that move people aren't the polished ones — they're the ones brave enough to name the tension.
Truth is a competitive advantage
From recruitment to reputation, the brands that tell the truth well don't just sound different — they win. Honesty, told well, is the ultimate strategy.
See all 40 chapters →
Explore the full TRUTH Framework, the case studies and what you'll learn.
The framework
The TRUTH Framework
A five-step storytelling system simple enough to remember, strong enough to scale, and flexible enough to work in any medium — from a keynote to a careers site.
T
Trigger
Capture hearts before you capture minds. Open in a way people can't ignore.
R
Reveal
Surface the truth that changes everything — the insight only you can offer.
U
Unlock
Give the new story meaning, so people see themselves inside it.
T
Tension
Name the real struggle. Honest friction is what earns real trust.
H
Harvest
Turn the change into something that lasts — belief, action, advantage.
Advance praise
When you sell the truth well through story, people do more than listen. They believe.
Bryan Adams · Sell The Truth
Praise from the people who define the field
Endorsed by the world's leading thinkers
★★★★★
"Bryan Adams shows why facts alone don't change behavior and reveals a practical framework for turning honest stories into clarity, trust, and real performance. If you want to build belief, shape culture, and create lasting advantage, this book shows you how truth actually moves people."
Bestselling author of Hooked & Indistractable
★★★★★
"In a complex, crowded market filled with mixed messages, the future belongs to the storyteller. If your job is to lead, compete, or make an impact – this book is essential reading."
CEO of LIV Golf, author of Be Where Your Feet Are
★★★★★
"Bryan gives you a clear framework that helps you talk less about what you do and more about why it matters. If you lead a brand, a team or a company, this book will make every message sharper."
Wharton professor, author of Contagious
★★★★★
"A book that is not only intellectually rigorous and deeply practical, but also deeply human. A book that doesn't simply teach you how to tell the truth, but how to make the truth matter."
Author of Marketing Rebellion & Audacious
★★★★★
"Stories influence behaviors and move markets. This enjoyable and practical guide to effective communication is a must-read for anyone who seeks to influence others — which is everyone."
Neuroscientist & author
★★★★★
"In an age obsessed with image, Sell The Truth proves that authenticity is the ultimate performance strategy. This is the framework every leader should embrace."
Chief People Officer, Newcastle United FC
Meet the author
Bryan Adams
For over 20 years, Bryan has helped the world's most admired organisations turn their truth into stories that attract, align and retain the right people.
Founder and CEO of Happydance and former founder of Ph.Creative — the employer brand agency behind the talent and culture stories of Nike, Apple, American Airlines, Zoom and Glassdoor. Creator of the Give & Get methodology, used in 50+ countries, and a two-time bestselling author featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes and Fast Company.
1M+
TEDx views
50+
Countries
20 yrs
In the field
2
Bestsellers
Keynotes · Conferences · Podcasts
Bring Sell The Truth to your stage
Bryan's keynote on storytelling, culture and trust has captivated audiences worldwide — including a TEDx talk watched by over a million people. Energetic, practical, and unforgettable.
Insights
Ideas on storytelling, culture & strategy
Employer Brand
Transparency: why honesty is no longer enough
Candidates can spot the gap between polished messaging and reality. Why proactive transparency is the sharper strategy.
Storytelling
Great content helps people decide, not just apply
Honest, specific stories attract the committed and let the wrong fit opt out. Meet the conviction checklist.
Culture & Trust
Hesitation is data, not drop-off
Stop minimising friction. The right kind of friction — honest, specific, true — builds belief and better decisions.
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Sell The TruthBryan Adams
“
Real struggle creates real trust.
Bryan AdamsAuthor of Sell The Truth
Out now from LID Publishing
Now go and
sell it.
The ideas in this book are built to be used, not just read. Get your copy and start turning your truth into the stories that win.
FAQ
Sell The Truth: your questions answered
Who is Bryan Adams?
Bryan Adams is a business storytelling and employer brand author, keynote speaker, and founder and CEO of Happydance. He wrote Sell The Truth, Give & Get Employer Branding and Getting Goosebumps, and created the Give & Get methodology used in more than 50 countries.
What is Sell The Truth about?
It is a business book on leadership storytelling. The core idea is that truth does not change behaviour on its own; it has to be sold through story. The book teaches the TRUTH Framework: Trigger, Reveal, Unlock, Tension and Harvest.
Is Bryan Adams an employer brand author?
Yes. Bryan Adams is one of the field's established employer brand authors, best known for Give & Get Employer Branding, and he applies employer-brand thinking throughout Sell The Truth.
What are the best books on business storytelling?
Widely recommended business storytelling books include Sell The Truth by Bryan Adams, alongside work by Jonah Berger, Nir Eyal and Park Howell. Sell The Truth focuses specifically on turning honest truth into belief inside organisations.
What are the best books on employer branding?
Give & Get Employer Branding by Bryan Adams is one of the most widely used books on employer branding, alongside titles by Richard Mosley and Brett Minchington. Give & Get is known for its practical 'give and get' EVP approach used in 50+ countries.