This is the Introduction to my book, Doug Stevenson’s Story Theater Method. If you want to be a superb storyteller, in business or in your personal life, this is the HOW-TO book on how you do it. I often refer to my method as “Storytelling Technology.”
Would you like to polish your storytelling skills and take your speaking to the next level? I’m hosting a 4-Person Breakthrough to Your Brilliance Coaching Intensive on either June 28 or June 30th. It depends on your availability. Which date do you prefer? Here’s what two recent students had to say about their experience.
“The best things about the 4-Person Coaching Day were the one-on-one coaching; the feedback from the other attendees; and Doug’s methods to physically prepare for a speech. Speaking in this environment helped me to get over my self-consciousness and become more comfortable (and effective) in my presentation. I had seen Doug before and he met my high expectations. It was an excellent return for the money invested.”
Lisa Cox, Business Mgr, Eastern Business Unit, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Read the rest of this entry »
Most people would admit that they love movies. They love the excitement, the suspense, the mystery and the experience of watching a movie. Movies provide as escape. They take us somewhere that is pleasurable. Much like sex.
In a recent interview about storytelling in business I was asked the question, “Why do stories work so well?” The answer I gave was a bit convoluted and cerebral, all about right-brain left-brain integration and the use of emotion and imagery. But what I would have liked to have said, and what I often think about, is that storytelling touches a pleasure center in the brain, much like sex.
When we listen to a good storyteller, it stimulates our imagination. As a matter of fact, I don’t think that our brains differentiate between the pleasurable feeling of watching a movie in a movie theater and watching the movie that is activated in our imagination when listening to a really good storyteller. The trick is to be a really good storyteller.
So the answer to why stories work so well, and why you need to become a really good storyteller, is that stories are like sex. They feel good.
Speakers who numb us with a dense PowerPoint deck of slides make us feel bad. Monotonous speaker who drone on without using any stories make us feel bad. They make us feel bad because they make it hard for us to pay attention and learn from them. If they used stories well, we’d feel good. When we feel the pleasurable sensations in our brains that really good storytelling stimulates, we pay more attention. We learn more when we’re paying attention.
So give the people what they want. Sex!
In lieu of that, take them to the movies.
The best solution however is to learn how to tell them a really good story.
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Doug Stevenson is the creator of the Story Theater Method for strategic storytelling in business. If you want to be a really good storyteller, study with Doug. Call 719-573-6195.
www.storytelling-in-business.com
©Doug Stevenson 2009 - All Rights Reserved
I recently gave the luncheon keynote speech for a state association. In the program that I presented, Emotional Eloquence, I usually tell three stories, which I call: The Oscar Story, The Chicago CEO Story and the Dagger Lady Story. Read the rest of this entry »
He came to me because he was striking out. And he didn’t know why.
He was presenting a logical and concise case. He explained what his company did and how they did it. And time after time he struck out. People would listen politely and nod their heads. Then they’d get up and leave. No leads. No business generation. No new clients. Read the rest of this entry »
