Post on 11-Jul-2020
Business story-telling for Leaders
The beginning of story-telling..
Freeimages.com/Benjamin Earwicker
The story-swap
Today’s Journey
• Understand why stories are an important part of our communication.
• Articulate the concept of business story-telling.
• Leverage the power of stories to help leaders to connect, engage and inspire audiences.
• Learn a powerful model to apply to communication.
What is Business Story-telling?
Creating Purposeful
Communication
Using Powerful Stories
Leading to Engaged
teams/audiences
To Solve Challenges/Get
buy-in
Why is Story-telling Important?
What do our favorite stories have in common?
Successful Stories…
Business story-telling for Leaders
Emotion Reason Action
KNOW THE SCIENCE
Know the Science
Story-time.....
Story-time.....
Know the Science
• Paul Zak- Research on Neurochemistry.
• Distress & Empathy = Cortisol & Oxytocin
• Stories that generated both cortisol and oxytocin moved people to action.
• The Dramatic Arc.
Reflect…
What are your opportunities for Story-telling?
Business story-telling for Leaders
Emotion Reason Action
KNOW THE SCIENCE
Engage Emotions
Transform your Communication
Know Your Audience
One Overarching Theme
Listen for Stories
Follow the dramatic ArcEmotion
Engage emotions
Transform your Communication
Know Your Audience
One Overarching Theme
Listen for Stories
Follow the dramatic ArcEmotion
Transform Communication to story-telling opportunities
Begin with the end in mind.
Articulate “The Why”
Engage Emotions
Transform your Communication
Know Your Audience
One Overarching Theme
Listen for Stories
Follow the dramatic ArcEmotion
Know Your Audience
• What makes them tick?
• What is important to them?
• What are their values?
• How are they feeling right now?
• What is their most primary concern?
Engage the heart
Transform your Communication
Know Your Audience
One Overarching Theme
Listen for Stories
Follow the dramatic ArcHeart
Choose a winning theme
Engage Emotions
Transform your Communication
Know Your Audience
One Overarching Theme
Listen for Stories
Follow the dramatic ArcEmotion
Listen for Stories
Remember
ShareRefresh
Discover
Engage Emotions
Transform your Communication
Know Your Audience
One Overarching Theme
Listen for Stories
Follow the dramatic ArcEmotion
Engage Emotions
Transform your Communication
Know Your Audience
One Overarching Theme
Listen for Stories
Follow the dramatic ArcEmotion
Business story-telling for Leaders
Emotion Reason Action
KNOW THE SCIENCE
Appeal to Reason
Collect Relevant data and information
Make Information meaningful
Present keeping the audience in mind
Show, Don’t TellReason
Show, Don’t Tell
• Telling: Suzie was blind.
• Showing: Suzie felt for the bench with a white cane.
• Telling: I had a great conversation with Tim over dinner and loved hearing his stories.
• Showing: I barely touched my food, riveted by Tim. “Let me tell you another story,” he said.
Show, Don’t tell
January February March April
Seco
nd
s Sa
ved
Per
Ch
air
Inspire to Action
Declare Vision & Establish Urgency
Specify Action
Define your role
End with EnergyAction
Business story-telling for Leaders
Emotion Reason Action
KNOW THE SCIENCE
Business story-telling for Leaders
Emotion Reason ActionTransform your communication.
Know your audienceOne Overarching Theme
Listen for StoriesFollow the Dramatic Arc
Collect Relevant DataMake numbers
meaningfulPresent keeping the audience in mind.Show, Don’t tell
Declare VisionEstablish urgency
Specify actionDefine your roleEnd with Energy
KNOW THE SCIENCE
Resources
• Story-telling for Leaders- Shawn Callahan
• TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking- Chris Andersen
• Paul Zak- Neurochemistry & the dramatic arc
“Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story
and it will live in my heart forever.”
Native American Proverb