Presenting with Stories Once upon a time... Before most people were able to read or write, knowledge was often carried and transmitted by means of stories. Stories were preserved and passed on for generations, carefully memorized and recited by the elders and the keepers of knowledge, so that the younger people could hear and remember the lessons contained within them. Tales containing the people’s myths and history, their most cherished moral and spiritual beliefs, and guidelines for survival and social interaction were told and retold. Stories were chanted to the beat of drums; stories were set to music and sung. Even now, stories have the power to unite people, to spark the imagination, and to transmit wisdom. Humans simply love stories. We’re obsessed with them, in fact. We love to tell them, to retell them, to listen to them, to watch them brought to life on stage or screen. Entire industries are based on telling stories. We appeal to books for guidance and entertainment, and we watch television shows and movies to escape into stories of other people, places, and times. We follow stories and we imagine ourselves into them. We want to know how they end. So just what is it that’s so appealing about a good story? Why Use Stories? All a story is, really, is a way to share an experience. An event or a series of events –whether real or imagined – are recounted in a way that both preserves the experience and tells others about it. We are all storytellers. We tell stories all the time. We remember our own experiences, and we tell other people about them. We also remember what other people have said about their experiences. Stories stick in our heads. Stories resonate with us. This is why stories are one of the most powerful tools available to a presenter. Stories can be used to provide structure, context, and meaning in our presentations. They can make it easier for the audience to understand our message or our data by illustrating it in a clear and vivid way. They can help us connect on an emotional level with our listeners, creating empathy and excitement. Stories give our audience a handle they can use to pick up and carry away the information we present. How To Use Stories The story we tell can’t be a pointless anecdote. Our story needs to have a purpose, and some relevance to our presentation topic and to our audience. The idea is to draw them in, not confuse them or bore them. There are so many different types of stories. Without going into a lot of technical details about story structure (though that’s a fascinating topic), here are some of the best types of stories to use in presentations: Success stories – These are the happily ever after stories that everyone loves to hear. When we want to demonstrate what happens when things go well, we can tell a success story. In a business presentation, this type of story could illustrate the results of good choices or actions by people in the company, or in the industry. Tell about how an idea or action worked out successfully, or how a person managed a positive change. It could paint a picture of a hypothetical rosy outcome, or an actual real-life triumph. Cautionary tales – The polar opposite of the success story, this type of tale illustrates what happens when things go wrong, whether due to poor choices, inaction, or other unfavorable circumstances. In a sales presentation or a persuasive presentation, this type of story could be used to build an awareness of risk. Humorous stories – Funny stories can be fantastic, as long as they’re relevant. A truly humorous story that amuses our audience can also be used to make an important point. Anything that makes the audience laugh – that is, that surprises them and elicits an emotional reaction – will create rapport and get their attention. This can be of great benefit to any type of presenter, and can be a real icebreaker for a sales presentation. If the story is off-color, irrelevant, or likely to embarrass anyone present, though, skip it–it’s not worth it to risk alienating the audience. Parables or Fables – Stories with morals or lessons are time-honored traditions in many cultures. They can be used to drive home points about topics such as business ethics, the need to make wise decisions, or the perils of poor planning. We can even borrow and use a traditional one, if it fits the bill – the nice thing about a good story is that even if everyone has heard it before, they don’t mind hearing it again, especially if you bring a fresh perspective. What's Your Story? When we’re preparing a presentation, it’s great if we can work in a story. It may serve as our introduction, getting everyone’s attention and leading into our primary message. It may provide structure for our entire presentation as we work through the story step by step. It could appear in the middle to illustrate a particular point, or liven up our conclusion and leave the audience with something to think about. The question really isn’t whether we should use stories –it’s what story we want to use, and how. Personal anecdotes, ancient fables, current news items, traditional tales, popular television shows, or something we heard from our cousin Joe’s best friend’s uncle about his last fishing trip are all potential sources for inspiration. If we pay attention to the stories that surround us, we can find a story to make our own. Keep in mind that stories about people – especially people that the audience is familiar with – are always the most engaging. Even if the story is fictional, hypothetical or otherwise non-attributable to real live people, make it more personal by putting yourself in it, or by giving the characters names. Borrow the names of people in the audience if it’s appropriate. They really will pay more attention if it involves them or someone they know. Make storytelling part of your next presentation, and your responses will be… .... Happily ever after. Baker Communications offers leading edge Presentations Training solutions that will help we address the goals and achieve the solutions addressed in this article. For more information about how our organization can achieve immediate and lasting behavior change that leads to success during presentations in any setting, click here . 10 Dec, 2015
