30. ELEVATOR PITCH

"A reluctant son of a powerful Mafia family is forced to lead the family business after his father is attacked, transforming from an honest war hero into one of the most dangerous crime bosses in America."

This is the plot of one of the most successful and highly respected movies of all time, "The Godfather." Now imagine that the screenwriter, Mario Puzo, has just finished the script and wants to convince Hollywood to produce the movie. Unexpectedly, he meets superstar Marlon Brando or a Hollywood producer in an elevator. He has only about 30 seconds to capture their attention before the doors open. Instead of explaining the entire story, he delivers a short, interesting summary that introduces the main character, the central conflict, and what makes the story unique, as shown in the movie plot above, leaving them curious to know more. If the pitch is successful, they might stop him before leaving the elevator and say, "I'm interested. Call me." This brief and persuasive presentation is called elevator pitch.

 

 

Elevator pitch is a short, clear, and persuasive summary of an idea, product, project, business, or story that can be delivered in about 30 seconds — the time of a typical elevator ride, that is why it is called elevator pitch. Its purpose is not to explain everything, but to quickly capture the listener's attention and make them interested enough to ask for more information or continue the conversation. In business, an elevator pitch is a presentation technique used to summarize a startup, a product, a proposal, or an idea in a short and engaging way to persuade an investor, your CEO, or another decision-maker to support it. This expression is widely associated with the movie industry. Although its exact origin is unclear, the concept later became widely used in business, entrepreneurship, and marketing.

Article By Dr. Eng. Amr H. Abayazeed - July 27, 2026.

29. STORYTELLING BETWEEN BUSINESS & MOVIES

Storytelling is the ability to communicate ideas, messages, or experiences through engaging narratives that connect with an audience on both an emotional and logical level. Instead of simply presenting facts or features, storytelling gives information meaning by placing it within a relatable story, making it easier to understand, remember, and act upon. In business, storytelling is used to communicate a company's vision, inspire employees, explain strategies, present proposals, and attract investors. In marketing, for example, storytelling helps brands connect with customers by focusing on experiences, emotions, values, and showing how a product or service solves a problem or improves customers' lives, rather than simply promoting its features. This approach makes the brand more memorable while building trust, strengthening brand identity, and increasing customer loyalty.

How to tell a good story? As I am a movie addict, nearly 90% of movies, regardless of their genre, follow a similar three-act story structure. The story begins with the "Ordinary World," where the audience meets the main character (hero) and learns about their normal life. An "Inciting Incident" then changes everything and introduces the main conflict. The hero may initially hesitate "Debate / Refusal" before receiving guidance from a "Mentor." After deciding to move forward, the hero "Cross the Threshold" and begins the real journey. At the "Midpoint," a major event changes the direction of the story. This is followed by the "All is Lost" moment, when the hero faces the greatest setback and everything seems hopeless. The tension then builds to the "Climax," where the hero confronts and overcomes the main challenge. Finally, the story ends with the "Resolution / New Normal," showing how the hero has changed and how life continues after the conflict. This simple story arc keeps the audience engaged from beginning to end and makes the story memorable.

For example, instead of simply saying, "A company entered a new market and increased its revenue by 25%," storytelling presents the same information as a journey: "The company had built a strong position in its local market, but sales growth had begun to slow. Management debated whether expanding into a new market was too risky. After consulting experts to analyze customer demand, competitors, and market opportunities, the company decided to move forward with a planned expansion. However, the first few months were disappointing, with weak sales and stronger than expected competition, leading some managers to question the decision. Instead of withdrawing, the company refined its strategy based on customer feedback. The changes proved successful, and within a year, the expansion increased revenue by 25% and opened new opportunities for long-term growth." Both examples communicate the same facts, but storytelling makes the message more engaging, memorable, and persuasive.

 

 

Article By Dr. Eng. Amr H. Abayazeed - July 24, 2026.

28. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

Culture is a touchy-feely concept that many people recognize but often find difficult to define. In general, culture is a set of shared values, beliefs, norms, and behaviors that shape the way people behave and act individually and in groups. In business, organizational culture follows the same concept and definition. It is the "Personality" of the organization, reflected in how employees interact with each other, with customers, and with the outside world. It is established by leaders and then communicated and reinforced through various methods. The word "Personality" emphasizes the organization's uniqueness; imagine your organization as a living person: What does it look like? How does it behave? How is it dressed? What does it like and dislike? What is its slogan or guiding value in life? 

According to the previous definition, the main components of organizational culture are: 1) Values, which are an organization's core beliefs about what is important and are typically expressed through its mission, vision, and core values, such as customer focus, innovation, integrity, teamwork, and excellence. 2) Beliefs are the assumptions an organization makes about the world and how it works. They are often unspoken and taken for granted. Examples include believing that employees are the organization's greatest asset, that the customer is always right, that change is inevitable, and that everyone is working toward a common purpose. 3) Norms are the unwritten rules of behavior that govern how people interact within the organization, including how employees are expected to dress, communicate with one another, handle conflict, and deal with customers. 4) Behaviors are the way a person acts. It is the outward and external expression of a person's attitudes (attitude is an internal feeling or mindset that exists in a person's mind, while behavior is an external action that is visible to others; attitude is a good predictor of behavior).

Another way to understand organizational culture is through Edgar Schein's Model, which explains it as an iceberg with three levels: 1) Artifacts are the visible and tangible elements of organizational culture, such as the physical layout, dress code, language, and rituals. Artifacts are the easiest level of culture to observe and change. 2) Espoused Values are the stated values and beliefs of an organization. These values are often communicated through mission statements, value statements, and codes of conduct. 3) Underlying Assumptions are the deepest and most difficult level of organizational culture to change. They are often unconscious and shared by members of the organization without being explicitly stated. These assumptions can have a powerful influence on organizational behavior, even though they are rarely articulated explicitly.

 

Article By Dr. Eng. Amr H. Abayazeed - July 22, 2026.

27. THINKING APPROACHES

Thinking is the cognitive process of understanding information, solving problems, and making decisions. We use it every day when analyzing situations, learning, or choosing between alternatives. Since different situations require different approaches, several types of thinking are used, as follows:

Critical thinking is the process of thinking about the thinking process through objective analysis of information to make reasoned judgments. The term comes from the Greek "Kritikos," meaning "to judge," not to criticize negatively. It focuses on evaluating facts, evidence, and assumptions before making decisions, answering the question: "Is this true or accurate?" For example, when sales decline, managers analyze reports, customer feedback, and market data to identify the real cause before taking action.

Lateral thinking is a creative approach that generates new and out-of-the-box solutions instead of following the usual logical path. It encourages thinking "sideways," so it called challenges assumptions, and explores alternatives. It answers the question: "What is another way to solve this problem?" For example, instead of only reducing prices, a company may introduce subscriptions, bundle products, or create a new customer experience to increase sales.

Systems thinking views the world as a collection of interconnected systems (natural and human-made) rather than isolated parts, which are often complex networks of interacting elements. Understanding how these elements influence one another provides deeper insight into how the real world works and supports more effective decisions. It answers the question: "How are all the parts connected?" For example, declining sales may result from marketing, product quality, customer service, supply chain performance, employee training, and competitor actions working together.

Strategic thinking is the process of choosing the best direction and actions to achieve future goals. It aligns decisions with external factors (opportunities and threats) and internal capabilities (strengths and weaknesses). It answers the question: "What direction should we take to achieve future success?" For example, a company may enter new markets, invest in digital transformation, strengthen its brand, or develop new products for sustainable growth.

In conclusion, no single thinking approach is sufficient for every situation. Critical thinking enables objective judgment based on facts, lateral thinking generates innovative ideas, systems thinking reveals how different elements are interconnected, and strategic thinking provides a clear direction for the future. The greatest value lies in understanding when and how to apply each approach. By making these thinking approaches a way of life, individuals can make better decisions and solve problems more effectively in both their personal and professional lives. 

 

Article By Dr. Eng. Amr H. Abayazeed - July 10, 2026.