Storytelling is our most powerful communication tool. It’s also a basic survival skill. Since the beginning of time, human beings have been telling stories to warn each other of threats and pitfalls and to alert each other of opportunities and possibilities. Stories have been scratched on the walls of caves, told round campfires and passed down from generation to generation.
Psychologists have proven that stories connect us and help build trust and relationships, and that we remember more information when it’s communicated through story rather than through data and theory. We connect emotionally with stories and, given that human beings make decisions based on emotion, a story told well can be a powerful way to influence others and inspire them to act.
Yet do you ever worry that when you talk about storytelling it might be perceived as childish? Do you risk sounding a bit ‘fluffy’ when you tell a story, especially when you and your audience have financial drivers and targets to achieve? Might you be seen as a rule breaker if you discard the corporate presentation or case study in favour of an emotionally charged impactful story of your own? When these doubts creep in, our confidence can ebb, and it can be easy to shy away from telling stories. When that happens, we miss the opportunity to connect with and inspire others.
When it comes to storytelling there is a ‘knowing and doing’ gap.
Despite our innate storytelling skills, individuals and organisations are quick to revert to the corporate slide deck, favouring facts and figures, and opportunities for powerful and impactful communications are lost.
Whether it’s communicating a message or a new idea, motivating internal teams, attracting more customers, ensuring your marketing stands out or making your communications more sharable, storytelling is your most powerful communication tool.
Close the ‘knowing and doing gap’ on storytelling.
Here’s three simple things to action today to boost your confidence and skills for storytelling.
1. Think about your own story – we often forget that we have a story of our own. Sharing our story helps others understand more about what’s important to us, highlights our broader skills and experience that we don’t include on our CV and reveals our values and beliefs. Yet, so often we don’t think to spend time thinking about or sharing our own story or asking others to share theirs. Sharing our stories helps us to connect emotionally and understand what makes each other tick, builds rapport and trust and essentially helps to make our working day happier and more effective. Consider having a session where people share their story in pairs or small groups at a team meeting or include storytelling as part of the induction process for new starters. For example, when you induct a new starter rather than overwhelm them with what your role is and associated processes, consider sharing what led you to your role and why you do it – and ask the same of them. (What you do and how you’ll work together is a follow up conversation.)
Action: What’s your story? Start at school and share how to you got to be doing the job you’re doing today. What led you here? What are the roadblocks you had to overcome? Jot your story down here and share with your colleagues. Ask them to share their story, too.
2. Start with why – before you start telling a story in a work context, think about why you’re telling it and what you want the reader or listener to feel, think and do. Do you want to pique someone’s interest and open up a bigger conversation or to help your reader understand a complex issue? Maybe it’s to get your boss or your team excited about your new idea. Or do you want your customers to buy your product over other better selling brands? Perhaps you want to connect with and build rapport with a colleague to make a project run more smoothly. How do you want people to feel? Excited, inspired, proud, happy, sad or even a combination of several emotions?
Action: Why are you telling a story? What do you want your reader or listener to feel, think and do?
3. Get curious and listen – storytelling isn’t just about the ability to tell a story; it’s the ability to listen, ask questions and understand what is important to people. Good listening will help you to find stories, build relationships and learn.
Action: Be more deliberate about your listening skills. Pay attention, don’t absent mindedly scroll on your phone and listen at the same time – you’ll miss things. Consider keeping a notebook to jot down stories and story ideas as you go about your daily life.
This is just a snapshot to help you get started and turn knowing into doing when it comes to storytelling. If you’re serious about improving your confidence and skills for storytelling I can help you.
The next storytelling for fundraisers online course is on 1 August. Here’s the link with more information and to sign up.
I also run online and in the room workshops for whole teams across a range of sectors to help them connect with each other and build their confidence and skills for storytelling . If you’re interested in working with me let’s chat. You can book a time here.
’Lucy’s storytelling training helped the team think differently about how to find and tell stories. We then got practical tips and tools so we can tell them in a way that best engages our different audiences. It did two important things, provided the team with a practical skill and confidence to use in their work and because it was relaxed and enjoyable it also built and strengthened relationships across different teams which is really important after working remotely for so long. Lucy is a fantastic trainer, who is able to translate her considerable knowledge into a fascinating and enriching session.’
Siobhan Meaker, Head of Marketing and Communications, Martlets Hospice