A number of helpful points in this post on storytelling. If stories were the first social networks, it's important to remember that your story needs to be easily repeatable (sharable.). Repetition of key ideas and themes within the story helps the audience to remember and repeat the essence of the narrative. I also like the emphasis on choosing the right media. The media supports the narrative not the other way around. Third, for professional presentations, characters in the story need to be more than relatable: they need to present roles that the audience can see themselves playing and WANT TO PLAY. A presentation is the fusion of information, data, and imagination.
When I coach groups to connect their personal stories to their organization's mission, I tell them about "The Moment." It's what 60 Minutes founding executive Don Hewitt said that every story must have. That "moment" is the one that moves the viewer or the listener. Your personal story can provide that moment of connection. Everyone can be empowered to tell their story and organizations should invest in helping their stakeholder learn how to engage via storytelling.
As our communication channels become noisier and our crave for connection increases, storytelling is a time-proven way to win over hearts and minds. Such a great post Guy!
I’ve always believed that stories are how we make sense of the world—and your take on storytelling reinforces that.
The Canva story is a perfect example: it starts with a relatable problem, builds on real struggles, and delivers a message of empowerment. It’s no wonder it resonates. It's also an Australian story, so I am biased. :)
The reminder to focus on emotional connections and pick the right medium is something we often overlook in the rush to 'just get the message out.'
Stories aren’t just content—they’re bridges.
This piece should inspire you to pause and ask: "am I crafting narratives that connect or just sharing facts?"
So true, Guy! Storytelling is everything. And to do it well, you have to understand who you are and why you matter so that you can create a story arc that is not only interesting, but serves the purpose you seek with it.
A number of helpful points in this post on storytelling. If stories were the first social networks, it's important to remember that your story needs to be easily repeatable (sharable.). Repetition of key ideas and themes within the story helps the audience to remember and repeat the essence of the narrative. I also like the emphasis on choosing the right media. The media supports the narrative not the other way around. Third, for professional presentations, characters in the story need to be more than relatable: they need to present roles that the audience can see themselves playing and WANT TO PLAY. A presentation is the fusion of information, data, and imagination.
When I coach groups to connect their personal stories to their organization's mission, I tell them about "The Moment." It's what 60 Minutes founding executive Don Hewitt said that every story must have. That "moment" is the one that moves the viewer or the listener. Your personal story can provide that moment of connection. Everyone can be empowered to tell their story and organizations should invest in helping their stakeholder learn how to engage via storytelling.
As our communication channels become noisier and our crave for connection increases, storytelling is a time-proven way to win over hearts and minds. Such a great post Guy!
I’ve always believed that stories are how we make sense of the world—and your take on storytelling reinforces that.
The Canva story is a perfect example: it starts with a relatable problem, builds on real struggles, and delivers a message of empowerment. It’s no wonder it resonates. It's also an Australian story, so I am biased. :)
The reminder to focus on emotional connections and pick the right medium is something we often overlook in the rush to 'just get the message out.'
Stories aren’t just content—they’re bridges.
This piece should inspire you to pause and ask: "am I crafting narratives that connect or just sharing facts?"
Really liked this post. Thanks Guy!
Storytelling has been was has enabled me to connect with my teams and peer throughout my career. Thank you for sharing this.
So true, Guy! Storytelling is everything. And to do it well, you have to understand who you are and why you matter so that you can create a story arc that is not only interesting, but serves the purpose you seek with it.