I’ve discussed in previous posts the challenge of bringing the traditional storytelling arc into business communications. Companies don’t have two hours to set the stage, tease out the plot with the requisite twists and turns before the trumpets sound with the happy ending. Often, we’re lucky to get 90 seconds, and even that depends on …more
Good question. This was one of the questions that surfaced recently during an interview with an Asian newspaper. I’ve captured the high points in an abbreviated version of the interview . Q: Define storytelling as it relates to business communications. A: Obviously, companies don’t have 300 pages or two hours on the silver screen to develop a …more
It’s not easy to do. And it’s tougher to accomplish in business communications. Teasing out company stories that cause the left ventricle to quicken are few and far between. Still, business communicators can learn from the experts – screenwriters – on how to build the front end of a story. They deal with pressure to …more
I conducted a storytelling workshop last week. Yes, the objective for the session was to help this corporate PR team apply the concepts of storytelling in business communications. But I’m hoping for something bigger. I’m hoping for two interrelated actions: They question the status quo. They experiment in their day-to-day jobs. The Holmes Report has …more
Here’s a quandary for communicators. Your CEO has been incognito to the media for 26 years. Rather than charge forward into the mainstream media, he prefers a gentle re-entry. This is not the time to pitch Morley Safer. Huawei’s communications team faced this very situation. Its CEO, Ren Zhengfei, was ready to meet with the …more
Virtually every novel reflects some form of the classic storytelling arc. Same goes for movies. As I’m driving to see “Zero Dark Thirty,” I’m wondering how the heck will the movie build drama. I already know how the story ends. Yet, the CIA operative played by Jessica Chastain must deal with stuff going cockeyed …more
Dare I say, storytelling has become downright trendy in business communications. “Narrative” has officially entered the PR vernacular. Yet, just because words like “protagonist,” “story arc” and yes, “narrative,” get bandied about doesn’t guarantee storytelling has displaced corporate speak. The SlideShare deck, “The Return of Storytelling vs. Corporate Speak,” shares some of the science and …more
As yet another indication that storytelling is the new black, it’s become a go-to topic for a range of publications. Fast Company provides a good Exhibit A. It’s not exactly science, but the number of mentions of “storytelling” in the publication over the past three years is still revealing: I think we can conclude that …more
I’m always on the lookout for information that explains the science behind why storytelling resonates. The article in Lifehacker, “Why Telling a Story is the Most Powerful Way to Activate Our Brains” by Leo Widrich does exactly that. And you don’t need to be cognitive neurologist to understand it. Here’s the thrust: “If we listen …more
