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Who doesn’t want to be drawn in and captivated? From the days of humans exchanging
tales around a flickering cave fire to watching today’s widescreen TV,
storytelling as a way of embellishing or improvising an event is an art that will
always be with us. Ancient times as well as our current high-tech times have
provided stories which educate, entertain, convey information, put forth the
morals of a particular culture and more.
Believability
Storytelling builds authenticity. Studies* show that stories make information more
believable. In research about the believability of advertising claims, several
groups were shown advertising which was based on: 1) Stories about the founder and
his family; 2) Statistics about the company; 3) A story and a few statistics.
Surprisingly? the groups who were told only the story – without any statistics at
all – were most likely to believe that the advertising claims were true and that
the company would follow its proffered policies.
Memorability
Stories help an audience retain the information you give them. Facts and dry data
are processed in the left hemisphere of the brain – the linear, logical and
analytical side. By including stories in your presentation, you activate the right
hemisphere of the brain – the creative, emotional and playful side. When listeners
hear a good story, they visualize images and experience feelings. When the
information you give them is processed by the "whole brain," it will be remembered
and more meaningful to the listener.
Relationships
Stories build relationships with listeners. The speaker connects with the listener
in a way that responds to some of our deepest desires to be connected. When
companies screen for employees, they pay close attention to the candidates’ verbal
interpretive skills. The ability to communicate at the interpersonal level and to
build relationships is extremely important. These interpersonal skills include the
ability to tell stories effectively, thereby creating a shared experience. When
you give a presentation, you need to build a warm and receptive environment with a
story to create this shared experience.
Creating a Story
* Opening: A story is anchored in time and space. For example: "Last night I
was describing this workshop to my spouse and..."
* Body: Build your story with significant personal events, vivid details and
clearly drawn characters. Add depth and dramatic impact with conflict, archetypes,
vulnerability and dialogue. Make sure to include a common reference point. Connect
with your audience and build trust.
* Conclusion: End strongly and segue to a relevant point. Build a transitional
bridge from your story back to a pertinent topic in your presentation.
Practice
Time yourself telling the story you decide to use. Preferably, tell it to another
person. If no one is available, tell it to the furniture in the room or try it out
in front of a mirror.
Now practice getting into and out of the story more quickly. Edit: trim
unnecessary details and fill in any gaps you noticed while telling the story. On
your second telling, try to cut in half the time it takes to tell the story. If
your story still drags, keep cutting and polishing, until it flows.
Example
This is one example of the power of stories and storytelling. I read this story in
an article titled, Telling Tales: The art of corporate storytelling in the October
2007 issue of The Costco Connection, a magazine put out by Costco as a way of
connecting with their customers.
Medtronic started as a home hobby and has grown into a worldwide creator and
manufacturer of medical technology. Medtronic, based in Minneapolis, has embraced
storytelling as a key ingredient of its success. Every December, the company
throws a holiday party for its employees and invites six patients and their
physicians to attend and share how they were helped by Medtronic’s products.
One patient who shared his story was Gary Prazac, who was diagnosed with
Parkinsons’ disease at age 49. Prazac emotionally recounted how the disease turned
him into an “old man, shuffling along with a cane and wearing the ‘Parkinson’s
mask’”, a deadpan facial expression.
Prazac explained how he had become stuck at an airport when he was unable to move
from his chair, forcing him to miss his plane. Huge doses of medication helped
control the tremors but caused other unwelcome symptoms. This went on for years,
until his doctor suggested a new therapy involving the implantation of a deep-
brain-stimulation device made by Medtronic. Prazac said, “The surgery reversed at
least 10 years of symptoms. It was literally a miracle. Medtronic gave me my smile
back.”
Medtronic’s Chairman and CEO, Art Collins, attributes much of the company’s
success to the stories told at the holiday events, calling it “the day we come
together as a family joined by a great and enduring mission; serving others.”