Tell a story. Sounds simple? We do it all the time. Suddenly, call it a story and all sorts of associations may arise and stop our voice. Will we be seen as emotional? Fanciful? Boring? Bombastic? Clueless?
Examples of stories:
- our personal introductions
- how we got a job
- what our kid has done lately (said with an eye roll)
- advice given with personal anecdotes for support
The list above isn't exhaustive. These stories roll off our tongues at a moment's notice. Suddenly calling a story out as a story should not make us stumble, though it often does.
It's best to be thoughtful about key stories, to prepare them to achieve what you hope they can. The heart of a story is often found in:
- What do I most need you to know?
- How do I hope you feel about it?
- What might you do with this information?
Facts are often only focused on the first or last question - either dumping facts or ordering results. Telling a story helps us walk through the possibilities together. The formula applies equally to emails, phone messages, anecdotes and
introductions. Telling a story can make the interview or deepen a relationship.
Tell a story - embed the answers to the questions - see if the results emerge.
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