Business communicators regularly\nunderestimate the value of their stories. When they do this, they are\nself-sabotaging their opportunity to impact others\u2019 beliefs, attitudes and\nactions. So, what stops us from using our stories to become more credible,\nconvincing and charismatic? Here are\nsome common answers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most people \u2013 unless you’re a Kardashian \u2013\nunderestimate their ability to interest others. Alfred Hitchcock said, “Movies\nare just life with the boring bits left out”. Everyone has at least one\ngreat movie in them. The trick is to identify the bits to leave out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We all have at least one awful storytelling\nexperience. You see people’s eyes glaze over; they’re looking over your\nshoulder to see if there’s anything else more interesting going on. Or, worse\nstill, you are interrupted halfway through a story \u2013 and nobody asks you to\nfinish it! We remember these experiences, and they negatively impact our\nstorytelling confidence when it could simply be just the wrong story and\/or time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most story failures are the result of the\nwrong intent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you stick to the first one, you can be\nconfident of avoiding the boring bits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fact that others have had similar\nexperiences does not make your story less unique. Instead, it will often make\nyour story more vivid for them. Your originality comes from your unique\nviewpoint and your willingness to share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Often, the best stories are about mistakes.\nMany professionals believe that it will tarnish their personal brand if they\ntalk about their mistakes. On the contrary, it’s the opposite. Nowadays, people\nare more likely to trust those who are authentic and willing to accept their\nvulnerabilities. Any personal brand built on trust will survive the sharing of\nan anecdote. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rather than presenting a ‘perfect’ story, I\nam more likely to trust someone who admits their mistakes and learns from them\nor helps me learn from them. When you are prepared to share the learning from\nyour mistakes with me, you are giving me a great gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While you might be more comfortable talking\nabout a mistake you made ten years ago, it is more confronting to talk about\nthe same experience if it only happened last week. This adds so much to a story’s\ncredibility and the storyteller’s impression of confidence. In today’s fast-moving\nworld, the more recent an event is, the more relevant it is. Only someone\nconfident in themselves would be prepared to talk about a recent mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I recently watched a video with a group of\nprofessionals, taken in 2016, featuring Kristen Pressner, Global HR Head of\nRoche Diagnostics. She talks about a mistake she made that made her aware of an\nunconscious bias against female employees. All of us agreed that her story was\nmore compelling because it was more recent and enhanced Kristen’s image as a\ntrue professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Business communications today is laden with\nmundane marketing terms, slick slogans and forgettable one-liners; those who\ncan communicate with credibility in a compelling way will create the\ncut-through that makes them stand out. Choose wisely, and your stories will\nmake you more credible and confident. They will even improve your charisma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n