Also, unless there is sufficient interest in continuing this blog, I recommend we wind it down as it seems to have served its purpose over the course of a few years and several books.
Peter Guber is convinced that applying the principles of storytelling can greatly enhance the effectiveness of anyone seeking to influence others. In “Telling to Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story,” Guber outlines, through several examples, key elements of any effort to influence others to act. According to Guber, PowerPoint presentations full of dry statistics and bullet points hardly ever reach their audience with the intended effect. The reason for this is that the presenters fail to connect emotionally with their audience.
For a story to transport audiences emotionally, Guber posits that four elements are required: (1) sympathetic recognizable characters (a hero, which can come in all shapes and sizes), (2) drama that convinces audiences the teller has heart, (3) a call to action that hits home with a resounding “I got it” or “aha” moment, and (4) a me-to-we factor that shines a light on an interest or problem that both the teller and the audience share and creates empathy.
He further notes that the structure of an effective story should include (1) a beginning that shines a light on your challenge or problem, (2) a middle structured around the struggle to meet that challenge, and (3) an ending resolution that ignites the listener to your call to action.
He counsels presenters to keep in mind that audiences pick up on the speaker’s intention, authenticity, and energy. To this he adds that no mater how authentic and empathetic the presenter may appear, if one ignores the interests of the audience, one should not expect to move them. He recommends that one assess the receptivity of one’s audience, where possible, before deciding to tell the story. By listening attentively to the audience, one can sometimes pick up on the need to adjust one’s story.
Guber also observes that some of the most effective story tellers are those who establish and sustain a never ending story through a constant proliferation of tellers who will preserve the original elements of the story even as they give the story their own personal thrust. An example of such a never ending story is where a restaurant owner tells new customers about the story of the restaurant. If the restaurant is otherwise good, those who have been to it and heard the story will most likely tell friends about it in the context of their experience and proliferate the story.
What are the possible applications to libraries? Instances such as the following come to mind: (1) preparing an annual report of library activities, (2) making the case for special needs of libraries in times of budget cuts where institutions compete for reduced funding allocations, and (3) developing an endless story built on excellent customer service one user at a time. Can you think of any other applications of Gubers’ recommendations or particular instances of effective story telling in a library context?
No comments:
Post a Comment