“Business Storytelling is by far the most underrated skill.” Gary Vaynerchuk
We live in a world of distraction, interruption, and information overload. So how do you sound different to your competitors rather than be part of the sea of sameness?
The key is to get clarity on your narrative. Once you get comfortable with sharing your stories, you will have a unique and compelling narrative and a way of sparking interest, inspiring change, and getting buy-in to your ideas.
According to David Hutchens, author of Story Dash, story is your most human language that is at the very heart of your audience.
It doesn’t have to be complex. When you put a story to work, it does the heavy lifting. Your job as a storyteller is to help people feel more connected.
The storytelling leader brings more of who they are to their leadership, and that’s a good thing.
You may think that storytelling won’t work for your type of industry; you may even be thinking that storytelling is too warm and fuzzy for your communication style. Please think again. The truth is, if you are not using the power of storytelling as part of your message, you will not get the reach and will fail to inspire your audience.
Once you get comfortable choosing the right story to fit an occasion and learn to tell that story well, you will notice the difference. Storytelling is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
There are plenty of people who show reluctance at first, and this is often due to fear. Fear of being vulnerable, not using slides or notes, and ‘getting it wrong’. I understand this. It’s natural to feel this way when you rely on data or PowerPoint slides to get your message across.
Over 80% of my clients and the companies I partner with are in technical industries. Companies who invest in their leaders to develop the skill of business storytelling get results. I’d love to show you how the ROI of storytelling training will work for your organisation.
Business Storytelling is a learned skill and a skill worth learning
If you are ready to influence through story and you’d like to find out how an accredited coach can fast track your journey then, let’s chat.
My role as a business storytelling consultant and coach, is to help you take what you already have and make it work for you.
A great way to empower your team to boost their communication skills with business storytelling is to host a Storytelling for Leaders Workshop. I want to share a quick word of warning. Stories are precious and need to be treated with care. There is always a right story, for the right time and place. Not any story will do, particularly in the business setting. Getting the balance right is key to a successful story strategy.
A storytelling workshop should always be conducted by a skilled facilitator, who understands how to find, refine and deliver stories, and also knows the importance of holding space.
Setting the environment, creating shared expectations, allowing each voice to be heard, and holding space to listen to others are critical elements in my facilitated sessions.
It is always challenge by choice. No one is forced to share if they don’t want to. I will never ask people to share stories of trauma, hurt or shame. Storytelling is not therapy.
For 20+ years, I worked as a health professional, so you are in safe hands. My workshops are fun, challenging, engaging and always safe and inclusive.
What type of Business Storytelling workshop is best for you?
A customised workshop is typically one day in duration. Face to face is ideal as storytelling is a time to connect and create energy and ideas in the room. Sessions can be delivered via live online webinars. I am a Certified Virtual Presenter, so I have a studio set up to enhance the experience. If online is your preferred method, then I suggest breaking the session into 2 x half days.
Or perhaps you prefer to learn in a blended environment or via 1:1 storytelling coaching. I’d be happy to tailor a solution that meets your learning needs.
The sessions are tailored according to the number of people attending. I have countless story activities, games, challenges and prompts. Some activities work better smaller groups of 8-12, and others work well for larger groups. Ready to chat about your needs? let’s chat.
What type of stories matter for your business? I chat to Sarah Santacroce, host of the Humane Marketing podcast about this,
If you are keen to know why I left my 20+ year career as a midwife to turn to storytelling, then you can listen to this chat for In The Game Podcast.
Why tell stories?
There are plenty of reasons why adding stories to your communication will make a positive difference. Here are six reasons why stories work.
1 Humans are hardwired for story.
2 Stories inspire change.
3 Story is a meaning-making tool.
4 Stories inspire connection and collaboration.
5 People are time poor. Stories cut through.
6 Compelling stories are ‘sticky’ and easy to remember.
“Stories are how we remember; we tend to forget lists and bullet points.” —Robert McKee, Storynomics
If you are based in Australia, you may be interested in hosting a facilitated storytelling for leader’s workshop. I have delivered these workshops to groups worldwide, both in-person and online. There is a format to suit every group, from two hours to two days. Click the button below, to find out how you can get ahead in your communication using the power of storytelling.
Lisa Evans helps professionals to craft compelling business stories and become exceptional speakers. Lisa is a certified speaker coach, TEDx speaker coach, four times author, NLP practitioner, graphic recorder and visual storyteller, improvisational actor, and host of the Business Chat Podcast.
She has coached thousands of leaders across a range of industries, including resources, banking, finance, engineering, retail and sales as well as not-for-profit and community associations.
If you wish to take advantage of a complimentary session in order to chat about how you can become an exceptional and successful speaker with a stand-out brand, then use this link to book a time to chat. Download my e-book – How to Build Confidence and Overcome Nervousness.
