One of the things that we tell people in our workshops is that your stories need to be true, particularly in a business context.
Your stories should be genuine and authentic. They must also be accurate, plausible and believable. If they’re not, you run the risk of damaging your credibility.
Consider this example of UK Primer Minister David Cameron, cited in a recent [BBC article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20956126):
During the first televised prime-ministerial debate in 2010, David Cameron told a story about talking to a “40-year-old black man”, who had served 30 years in the Royal Navy.
Read that again. A *40-year-old*, who had served *30 years* in the Royal Navy. Clearly, it is not accurate, nor plausible. This would mean he had joined the armed forces aged 10.
In this instance, Mr. Cameron failed to communicate and convey his wider ideas, simply because his story was inaccurate and implausible.
Don’t make the same mistake when telling your stories.