A conversation with Rashad Rayford on turning information into stories people remember, bringing creativity into corporate spaces, and why authentic human connection matters in an age of AI-generated content.
Host: Tia Kleckner (CEO at LinkTech), Adam Kleckner (Head of Strategy at LinkTech)
Summary:
Rashad Rayford started by turning conferences into poetry—listening to presentations, breakout sessions, and coffee conversations, then weaving them into spoken-word performances. Today, the poet, actor, teacher, and speaker helps leaders communicate with that same attention to people. He explains why more slides don’t mean more understanding, introduces his DOSE storytelling framework, and challenges leaders to ask one simple question: what do you actually want people to remember?
Main Topics:
From conference poetry to leadership communication
Why creativity carries the message instead of interrupting the business agenda
Turning scattered data into a story with meaning
Sharing the struggle behind success—not just the polished outcome
DOSE: Rashad’s framework drawing on dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins
How stories become part of an organization’s everyday culture
Helping young people recognize the value of their own voice
Why lived experience remains distinctive when AI can generate endless words
Intriguing Quotes:
“Sometimes we talk for an hour and we haven’t made it simpler.”
“What do I want these people to walk out of here with?”
“I’m coming in to show you your industry from a different perspective.”
“Tell the story. Keep telling the story. Even if you’ve told it a thousand times.”
“What you say matters and how you say it, it matters.”
Key Moments:
[01:30] The unexpected career path: companies hired Rashad to create poetic conference wrap-ups before he thought of himself as a speaker.
[04:40] The Lego analogy: data is the scattered pieces; story gives them structure. Rashad isn’t arguing against data—he wants people to understand why it matters.
[08:37] Winning over skeptical rooms: creative writing gives executives permission to be curious, vulnerable, and something other than their corporate role.
[11:15] More words, less clarity: Rashad encourages leaders to share relatable moments of struggle and resilience instead of only describing where they are now.
[17:57] The 97-slide problem: giving people everything doesn’t tell them what matters. Start with the takeaway, then design the message around it.
[21:23] The origins of DOSE: repeated questions about how his performances made people feel led Rashad to develop a framework for intentional storytelling.
[28:48] How you know a story landed: people repeat it, new hires learn it, and its meaning shows up in how the organization behaves.
[37:54] Words are abundant. Lived experience is personal. Rashad makes the case for leaning further into human stories as AI-generated content grows.
[45:19] “You can’t do that.” A childhood comment stayed with Rashad for decades—and became motivation rather than resentment.
[48:05] What never appears on his resume: family and service, including being the keynote speaker who still helps move the tables.
Notable Resources:
DOSE / Dose of Story — Rashad’s communication framework, organized around anticipation, trust, belonging, and release.
Concepts: Spoken-word storytelling; intentional communication; curiosity; authentic leadership; organizational stories
Connect with Rashad Rayford:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashadrayford/
Website: https://www.rashadthapoet.com
Instagram: @rashadrayfordspeaks
Connect with The Human Advantage Podcast:
Website: https://www.thelinktech.com/podcast