Strategic Stories
I'm realizing more and more how stories help you drive a point home. It's one thing to make a point, it's another for your story to make the point for you. If your ideas aren't sticking, or you're not getting buy in, maybe a compelling story is the answer.
Crafting useful stories is an art, and, now, apparently a science. Srinath pointed me to Stories at Work on 50Lessons.com. The video shares a story about using stories as a catalyst for change and a recipe for good strategic stories:
- Make stories short (1 -2 minutes) so they can be retained
- Limit stories to no more than 2 or 3 characters, so it's easy to follow
- Build your story around a singular message.
- Tell your story in the present tense so participants can relate
- Use powerful images to tie to a theme
- Repeat a phrase or word that is the essence of your message
The value of the stories is they help you engage people and they have a more powerful recall than slides, facts and figures.