Business storytelling is the skill of telling a story that works because it has a point your audience can use. That last part, the point, is the ingredient most stories are missing, and this case study from a Gartner workshop shows exactly what happens when it is absent and what happens the moment it shows up.
I traveled to the Boston area to work with an executive leadership team at Gartner. This was a presentation training workshop, and one of the top team members wanted to implement what he had been learning. He walked to the front of the room, told half a story, paused, looked at everyone and said, "I guess that didn't work." Then he started in with his planned presentation.
I stopped him shortly into it, because I wanted to share the reason why the story wasn't working.
What was the story missing?
It was lacking something every one of us wants when we hear a story. A message. Or, more easily said, a point. Every story needs to have a point. And sometimes, when we are in front of the room, we leave out a crucial piece of information without realizing it.
Because these workshops use video as a tool, he was able to see it not working. Then he had the chance to redo his effort and add in the point of the story. Here is what happened on the second pass:
- Everyone in the room told him it was better.
- They told him he needs to tell this particular story to their clients and prospects, because it showed how invested the team is in the success of those they support.
- Others asked if they could use the story themselves when they talk to prospects and clients.
So a moment where somebody could have been embarrassed in a training became the opposite. This executive was built up by his teammates, and his story became a shared asset for the whole group.
I now feel like I have the tools to be able to create more action from the people I speak to. I am grateful for the on-camera practice. I was immediately able to make changes to my presentations and improve them on the spot. Ryan Sorley, Gartner
Why does on-camera practice work so well?
This is the perfect example of what happens in a training. People worry about whether they will look bad or look stupid in front of colleagues, or even just in front of me as their coach. The opposite is true. Because people get to keep refining and keep improving during a training day, it ends up being very empowering.
People see the change happening in real time. They see themselves improving on camera, and it is not me as the coach telling them they did a better job. It is them, in shock, seeing themselves being the master communicator and the leader they always wanted to be.
- Every story needs a point. If the audience cannot say why they heard it, the story did not work, no matter how good the details were.
- Video does not lie, and that is a gift. Seeing yourself is more convincing than any feedback a coach can give.
- Redos are where the growth happens. The gap between a flop and a keeper can be one revision.
- Great stories get borrowed. When a story shows how invested your team is in client success, colleagues will want it too. That is how messaging spreads through an organization.
You can see the same dynamic in other engagements: the Hay Group team that won a million dollar bid by having a conversation, and the AIG country presidents who learned leadership communication with no PowerPoint at all.
If your executive team has stories that almost land, a focused day of executive training with on-camera exercises will find the points they are missing. Start with the quick quote form and tell me about the team.
Not ready yet? No problem. Start with a copy of my book Media Secrets or grab the 7 Media Interview Secrets and put a few ideas to work first.