Sunday, February 21, 2016

Stories

Are you a good story teller?  

Sanford Graduate School has some tips on telling stories by Communication lecturer JD Schramm.

Connect with Individuals

"Deliver one thought to one person in the room," Schramm advised, "and then turn your body and deliver another complete thought to another person. Have that moment. Eye contact is gold in storytelling. The more you can connect and pierce into somebody's eyes, the more you can break down resistance." It's also a good idea to step toward the audience and use hand gestures to illustrate points, rather than stay fixed and frozen in one place.
As in Music, Silence is Effective
"You might use moments of silence to let people catch up with you, or to frame something, like the first time you use a phrase or an acronym. Or you can use silence just to get everybody's attention, "Just a few seconds, appropriately used, can add emphasis to your presentation."

Don't Read or Memorize the Manuscript, Nor Try to Speak Off-the-cuff.

It's much more reliable and effective to memorize a list of bullet points and then practice telling the story over and over again, keeping the mental list as a reference.

Use PowerPoint Wisely

Slides should emphasize photography, illustrations, or charts, not words.

Know Your AIM: Audience, Intent, and Message

What do you want your audience to do as a result of this communication? "Sometimes you have to be explicit and say, 'I want donors,'". Other times you just want the audience to embrace an idea, or re-share the information with others. In any case, he said, "The best thing you can do is share a little bit at first, and have your listeners ask for more."

Use Personal Anecdotes, Self-deprecating Humor, and Accessible Language

Don't try to provide a thorough overview of your organization or focus solely on the tactical, factual sides of your story. Keep technical jargon to a minimum.



What do you think about Fato's story, did it bore you or captivate your heart? 

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