Corporate Storytelling 101: How to pick a story that moves listeners

Corporate Storytelling 101: How to pick a story that moves listeners
Business publications these days sing the praises of
corporate storytelling. But what if you're not a natural
storyteller? How do you pick a tale that inspires and
connects - and still suits a business setting? Here are
nine tips to get you started:

1. Brief is better. Choose a story that can be boiled
down to 3-5 minutes. Longer tales can get too complex. A
good story should be like a skirt: long enough to cover the
subject, but short enough to keep things interesting.

2. What is the Why? Why are you telling this particular
story? Make sure it reinforces the value you want to
reinforce in a positive way. Know the key point of your
story. This will help you choose what to leave in and what
to leave out.

3. This time it's personal. Find a story from your own
life if possible - especially for a "why I'm here" tale
(one that explains your purpose for speaking to your
listeners). This gives you authority and authenticity.

4. Who's your hero? Listeners need a clear protagonist to
identify with. If you have too many heroes, the audience
and the tale lose focus. Telling it from a single hero's
point of view keeps things simple and powerful.

5. What's the beef? Every story needs a clear problem and
solution. Make sure this problem has relevance to your
listeners, and remember to include the solution. Listeners
need closure.

6. Make ?em feel it. If you want your story to hit home,
give it some strong human emotion. Fear, anger,
excitement, frustration, joy - it doesn't matter which
feeling, as long as it's genuine. Your involvement in the
story's emotion triggers your listeners' emotional
involvement.

7. Keep it real. For most business purposes, true stories
resonate more than parables or myths. Who Moved My Cheese?
aside, would you relate better to a story that happened to
the teller or one that happened to mice?

8. All's well that ends well. Pick a story with a happy
ending. Why? It'll give your listeners an endorphin rush
and leave them with a positive impression. Yes, fear can
motivate, but it can also lead to paralysis. Take a tip
from Hollywood and end on an up note.

9. Papa, don't preach. At your story's end, let the
listeners draw their own conclusion. If you spell out the
moral, you ram it down their throats. Leave space for the
audience to reach its own conclusions, and you draw people
in.

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Bruce Hale is an author, Fulbright Scholar in Storytelling,
and a popular speaker to business and educational
audiences. As an actor and storyteller, he has performed
on stage, TV, and in an independent movie. Bruce has
published over 20 books and spoken to audiences across
North America. Find out more about him at:
http://www.brucetalks.com .