Professional financial planners spend an increasing proportion of their time counseling clients. Given the complexities of financial planning, effective planner-client communication is critical. Storytelling has been an effective communication device for millennia because it engages the listener’s reasoning, emotions, and imagination. Many of Aesop’s fables are effective storytelling tools for financial communication, as the morals of these fables have easy application to financial planning and management. This article demonstrates the use of four example fables in financial planning communication and provides a list of 27 additional finance-related fables combined with financial keywords for application.
Aesop: The complete fables (TempleO.TempleR., Trans.). (1998). Penguin Books.
2.
AgnelloM. F.LaneyJ. D.LuceyT. A. (2019). Grabbing a tiger by the tale: Using stories to teach financial literacy. The Social Studies, 110(5), 198–206.
3.
BarkerR. T.GowerK. (2010). Strategic application of storytelling in organizations: Toward effective communication in a diverse world. The Journal of Business Communication, 47(3), 295–312.
4.
BolkanS. (2021). Storytelling in the classroom: Facilitating cognitive interest by promoting attention, structure, and meaningfulness. Communication Reports, 34(1), 1–13.
5.
BordenK.HallS. (2020). Storytelling to enhance retention of concepts in finance. Journal of Financial Education, 46(1), 94–114.
6.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2024). Occupational outlook handbook. http://www.bls.gov/ooh
7.
BurnsS. T. (2008). Utilizing fictional stories when counseling adults. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 3(4), 441–454.
DubofskyD.SussmanL. (2009). The changing role of the financial planner, Part 1: From financial analytics to coaching and life planning. Journal of Financial Planning, 22(8), 48–57.
10.
DuskaR. (2013). Baby boomers, retirement, and financial services. Journal of Financial Service Professionals, 67(3), 13–16.
11.
FisherW. R. (1984). Narration as a human communication paradigm: The case of public moral argument. Communications Monographs, 51(1), 1–22.
12.
FisherW. R. (1985). The narrative paradigm: An elaboration. Communications Monographs, 52(4), 347–367.
13.
GalloC. (2019). Storytelling to inspire, educate, and engage. American Journal of Health Promotion, 33(3), 469–472.
14.
GrableJ. E.GoetzJ. W. (2017). Communication essentials for financial planners: Strategies and techniques. John Wiley and Sons.
15.
HodgesJ. (2018, July9). Books that financial planners say you should read. The Wall Street Journal.
16.
HoganS. (1999). The world of global management according to Aesop, is no fable. Nation’s Restaurant News, 33(30), 78.
17.
HoustonT. K.AllisonJ. J.SussmanM.HornW.HoltC. L.TrobaughJ.SalasM.PisuM.CuffeeY. L.LarkinD.PersonS. D.BartonB.KiefeC. I.HullettS. (2011). Culturally appropriate storytelling to improve blood pressure: A randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 154(2), 77–84.
18.
LeeS. A. (2008). Christina Baldwin on story, storytelling, and “Who Put the Honey in Your Heart.”Journal of Financial Planning, 21(2), 12–15.
19.
LynchJ. T. (2011). Reversing the decline in life insurance. Journal of Financial Service Professionals, 65(6), 31–33.
20.
MarR. A.LiJ.NguyenA. T.TaC. P. (2021). Memory and comprehension of narrative versus expository texts: A meta-analysis. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 28, 732–749.
21.
MayminP. (2012). The goose that laid the Federal Reserve note. American Banker, 177(184), 6.
McClearnM. (2009). Grasshopper nation. Canadian Business, 82(12), 60–66.
24.
NoonanD. (2005). Aesop and the CEO: Powerful business insights from Aesop’s ancient fables. Thomas Nelson.
25.
OwenA.CollieI.SteuerP. (Producers), & HancockJ. L. (Director). (2013). Saving Mr. Banks [Motion picture]. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
26.
RocheL.SadowskyJ. (2003). The power of stories (I): A discussion of why stories are powerful. International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 2(4), 377–388.
27.
ShortJ. C.KitchenD. J. (2005). Teaching timeless truths through classic literature: Aesop’s fables and strategic management. Journal of Management Education, 29(6), 816–832.
