Engage your listeners with storytelling
Humans have been using stories as a form of communication in every culture throughout history. Our brains are programmed to pay special attention to them, as evidenced by the surge in neural activity that takes place when we hear a story. Choosing to communicate in the form of a story will make you more interesting and memorable. Now what elements make a good story?
Who is it about?
Describe the people who are included, their age, your relationship to them, if needed job titles, locations and other details that are adapted to the audience you’re telling this story about.
Where does it take place?
Are we in the office, an exotic vacation spot, at home or with friends? Was it yesterday, last week or in 1985? Give the details about where we are so the audience can imagine it as if they were there.
What is the plot?
When we hear “plot”, it often reminds us of the Walt Disney classics – the good guy and the bad guy. Yet in a business story, we aim at thinking of: what challenges did we / they face? What opportunities were there? And how was this overcome?
What was the resolution?
Time for action! How was your challenge solved or your opportunity taken? Give brief details about the solution in the story.
What is the conclusion?
Recap the essence of your message in a brief punchline and subtly mention the value it has for people who have listened.