As a storyteller, I often combine sad stories with one another. Mostly with a positive outcome, but often I use stories without a happy ending. Stories where listeners really have to think about what they just learned. Stories where there is no gold at the end of the rainbow. It’s amazing when such stories evoke …more
There’s no question that 2016 delivered plenty of fodder for storytelling. Thursday’s post included half of the list capturing the top posts from this year. Here’s the rest of the list. 6. Five Storytelling Techniques to Give Business Communications Storytelling is the new “black” when it comes to business communications. But here’s the pachyderm in the …more
I suppose there’s a reason that “time flies” became a cliché. It does. I think 2015 saw a better product from Ishmael’s Corner. It certainly looks better, finally bulldozing the original design and bringing the “look and feel’ into the 21st century. And with Ron Howard resurrecting the “Moby Dick” narrative, a new audience learns …more
By Raf Stevens Storytelling is a powerful weapon. In my book, “Leadership, Storytelling and the Power of Connection,” I offer guidelines for telling a good story that creates an emotional connection with employees, customers or other stakeholders. Executives who deploy storytelling efficiently are better able to convince their target audiences and achieve their business objectives. …more
It’s that time of the year. About 19.9 million college graduates are about to descend on civilization with shiny apples in hand. Unfortunately, the demand versus supply equation doesn’t work in their favor. Finding that elusive first job puts a premium on the resume and its associated cover letter. No university invited me to deliver …more
I love talking about failure in the context of business storytelling. It’s a tough one for executives because it’s counterintuitive. You never hear about a company hiring a PR agency “to get the bad word out.” Yet, the ability to bring failure or even a problem to the narrative is what separates industrial-grade storytelling from …more
The PR profession must embrace visual storytelling. How’s that for a declarative sentence that leaves nothing to interpretation? We’ve discussed visual elements ranging from infographics to video to illustrations. It’s now time to turn our attention to the humble GIF (graphics interchange format), perfect for short-form storytelling. If GIFs are good enough for BuzzFeed, which …more
Every startup shares one common trait – They’re trying to disrupt the status quo. It’s hard. Legacy competitors in the space – in some cases huge companies with massive resources and years of operation – dominate. Their longevity begets MMM, market muscle memory, which adds to the challenge. It’s easy to fall into the …more
I am a big fan of The New York Times Dining section. Donut drama. Importing Mom instead of the pasta. Hunting for “treasures” in restaurant laundry. And the list goes on. The NYT Dining journalists know how to shape story lines beyond the – “chef showed restraint, allowing the flavor of the fresh [fill in …more
