Stories: Gary Klein’s insights Power of Stories Researcher Gary Klein: stories are told & retold because they contain wisdom & are effective teaching tools Main question to answer: How do you get people to act on your idea?

Stories Role of Stories Put knowledge in to a framework that is more lifelike, more true to day-to-day existence Power is twofold: Simulation: knowledge about how to act Inspiration: motivation to act (Both are geared toward generating action)

Stories Simulation Why mental simulation works? We can’t imagine events or sequences with evoking same modules of the brain that are evoked in real physical activity Examples People who imagine words that start with “B” or “P” can’t resist subtle lip movements People who imagine Eiffel Tower can’t resist moving their eyes upward When people drink water but imagine it’s lemon juice, the salivate more and vice versa

Stories: Connection Plot Stories that Inspire The Tale of Jared The Art of Spotting Have to consciously look for the right one What made these inspirations stick? 3 Basic Plots The Challenge Plot The Connection Plot The Creativity Plot

Stories The Challenge Plot The key element is that the obstacles seem daunting to the protagonist They inspire us to act Inspiring even when they’re much less dramatic and historical than these examples Example stories: David and Goliath, Jared from Subway, The Alamo, The American Revolution

Stories: The Connection Plot Is about people who develop a relationship that bridges a gap- racial, class, ethnic, religious, demographic, Inspire in social ways Make us want to help others, tolerant of others, work with others, and love others Example stories: Parable of the Good Samaritan

Stories The Creative Plot Involves making a mental breakthrough Solving long standing puzzle or attacking problem in a innovative way Make us want to do something different – experiment with new approaches The MacGyver Plot

Stories Importance of Plots To target a specific audience Telling stories focus people on potential solutions Stories with visible goals and barriers shifts the audience into a problem solving mode Almost always defeat the Curse of Knowledge Almost always concrete Most have emotional and unexpected elements Hardest part is making sure they are simple and reflect you core message