Easton: The art of storytelling is being a good listener

Dean Rotbart of Business News Luminaries spoke with Nina Easton, a former Fortune journalist who co-runs its “Most Powerful Women” franchise, as part of celebrating top business journalists of the 21st century.

“Storytelling and capture the visions of leaders in a range of industries and politics and journalism is one of the most important contributions that we can make,” said Easton.

She said that the art of storytelling is being a good listener and not making assumptions.  “I went into every story with an open mind,” said Easton. But she also emphasized being rebellious and questioning concepts and ideas.

“You don’t accept the status quo,” said Easton. “You don’t accept what has been handed to you.”

Easton joined Fortune in 2006 from the Boston Globe. She left Fortune in 2016 to start a communications firm with Fortune co-worker Pattie Sellers.

At the Globe, Easton co-authored “John F. Kerry: The Complete Biography” (Public Affairs), served as a lead editor of the 2003 newspaper series on which the book was based, and oversaw much of the paper’s 2004 presidential campaign coverage.

From 1988 until 1998, Easton was a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times and its Sunday Magazine. Her articles won numerous awards, including the National Headliners Award for best magazine writing and the Sunday Magazine Editors Award for investigative reporting.

Before joining the Los Angeles Times, she covered business for The American Banker, BusinessWeek and Legal Times.

To listen to the interview, go here.