4 tips for powerful & pointed stories for leaders
DESCRIPTION
Learn 4 techniques to tell a story that lands with your audience, keeps them interested and ties to your business application.TRANSCRIPT
What areyousaying?
4 Tips for Powerful & Pointed Stories for Leaders
Liz Keever www.lizkeever.com
Business is Building Relationships
“Over the years I have become convinced that we learn best—and change—from hearing stories that strike a chord within us…Those in leadership positions who fail to grasp or use the power of stories risk failure for their companies and for themselves.” John Kotter, Harvard Business School professor & author
Stories Can…
§ Build trust
§ Share core values
§ Establish credibility
§ Share common bonds
§ Create understanding
Stories May Be…
Personal (Narrative) Organizational
Funny Poignant
Short Long
Real Mythical
Today, you’ll Learn:
1. Elements of a Good Story
2. Effective Story Structure
3. How to Drive the Moral
4. Techniques to Tell it Powerfully
5. How to Transition into and out of the Story
Elements of a Good Story
Teller Authentic and genuine
Audience Appropriate and on target
Moment Never the same way twice
Mission Serve the greater purpose
Source: “The Four Truths of the Storyteller” – HBR, Peter Gruber – Dec. 2007
TIP #1
STRUCTURE
Effective Story Structure
Beginning
• Where
• When
• Who
• Why
Middle
• Conflict
• Obstacle
End
• Resolution
So what? • Lesson
• Realization
• Point
TIP #2
MORAL
NOT What You Want Listeners to Think
“What was your point?”
“Where are you going with this?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
What’s the POINT?
• Lesson learned?
• Conclusion?
• Guiding Principle?
• Point of View?
• Moral?
TIP #3
DRAMA
Techniques to Tell a Story Powerfully
• Action Be animated.
• Roles Be the character in the story.
• Suspense Unfold the drama, develop the story.
• Present tense Bring the listener to “now.”
• Sensory details Share smells, tastes, sounds, textures.
• Emotion How you felt during the experience.
• Short sentences Crisp, clear and succinct.
• Change up Pace Keep it surprising.
TIP #4
TRANSITION
Transition into & out of a Story
Be clear on the Point or “moral” of the story
“slow and steady wins the race”
Use transitional language to get into the story
“This is similar to a situation years ago…”
Tell the story succinctly and with some drama
“As a brand-new employee, I’m doing a routine check when…”
Articulate the lesson learned
“What I learned that day was…”
Make the connection into the business application
“I see the same situation happening here and I…”
How to Do It
THINK
PRACTICE
Stories are How we Learn
A human being is nothing but a story with a skin around it. Fred Allen