Alison Esse, Director and Co-founder
Our Story...
The Emotional Connection
Why Storytelling?
“Scratch the surface in a boardroom and we’re all just cavemen with briefcases hungry for a wise person to tell us stories.” Alan Kay
5-10% Sole use of statistics in a presentation 25-30% Combine with some storytelling 65-70% Storytelling as stand-alone method Stories ‘stick’ The London Business School
How do you kick-start a storytelling culture?
Two types of story: – Corporate / organisational – Illustrative Personal Pride Re-framing Connection Metaphor Envisioned
Top Tips: Setting The Scene Create informal physical space for storytelling Make time: New and existing meetings Be a good story listener Ask for stories of hope and frustration Mix hierarchies and people to break patterns Ask more, do less telling (collaboration) Share in groups and then select best stories Choose informal forums
Top Tips: What Makes a Good Story? Keep it simple Identify theme / priority to create relevance ‘Think of a time when...’ Identify need to restore balance (desire/situation at hand) Identify the protagonist Identify the antagonist – what is stopping the protagonist? Action taken to achieve this desire Outcome and learnings (N.B. Be authentic and flexible!)
Where it’s worked
“While the mind looks for proof, the heart looks for engagement. While the mind looks for information, the heart looks for passion. While the mind looks for answers, the heart looks for experience. The mind makes a decision, but it is the heart that makes a commitment.” Terry Pearce