It’s been great to reconnect with old friends and colleagues as the launch of ‘Odd Bird’ approaches. Naturally some have had questions about how the skills of an author can be applied in business. Probably some of you are wondering too.
Sometimes my clients need a FICTIONAL story, like Odd Bird, but shorter. Occasionally I create fictional brands and markets for workshops. I’ve also adapted well known fictional stories to help clients to deliver their message in an entertaining, engaging way. But most of my clients don’t need a fictional story. Usually they need something a bit more, well, real.
Sometimes clients need to tell a TRUE story. True stories can help in countless ways. Here are just three examples:
- A personal story: can help a new leader to connect with a team by showing them who he/she is
- A values story: can help to show how an organization is actually making tough decisions in accordance with their values. Which is way better than just printing them on mug
- A patient story: can help everyone to more deeply understand their needs
In each of these cases true stories are more powerful than claims. We have learned to be very, very cynical about claims. Stories open our minds, and there are scientific studies which have proved it.
Sometimes clients don’t actually need a story at all, they just need the ‘story effect’. Leaders constantly need to persuade people and stories happen to be minor miracles of persuasion. For example, every word of a story from the blurb on the back cover to to the final page is designed to gain and keep your attention. This is how stories do that:
- They flow and take us on a journey
- They feel relevant and credible
- They surprise us
- Most of all, they make us care
When we know how stories work their magic we can give any talk, presentation or communication the story effect, and I’m not making that up.