People are naturally drawn to a great story. So why not use storytelling to liven up your training, keep your trainees’ attention, and make every session more engaging and effective?
“Storytelling is the most effective way to truly engage listeners in any presentation,” says Brad Karsh, president of JB Training Solutions. For example, when Karsh used to do recruiting for an agency, he started his presentations with the company’s history. “People didn’t care, and people didn’t remember these facts I was rattling off.”
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“So, I switched it up and started the presentation like this: ‘Leo Burnett was founded during the Great Depression—which, yes, was a totally insane idea. Everyone around Mr. Burnett doubted him and said it wouldn’t be long until he was selling apples on the street. So, the day he opened the doors, he placed a bowl of apples on the reception desk. Today, if you walk into any of the 85 Leo Burnett offices worldwide, you will still find a bowl of apples on the reception desk,’” Karsh says.
“Many people think it’s not appropriate to integrate stories in more serious, informational training, but that’s just not true,” he says. “Think about it like this: you’re giving a training to new hires on different insurance options at your company. You could give them a rundown of all options using technical jargon, or you could give them an analogy. ‘When choosing insurance, you have two options: the supermarket or Mom and Pop. The supermarket gives you more variety, and you’ll probably pay less per item, but it’s not personalized at all. Mom and Pop fits your needs exactly, but you’ll see a higher price point.’”
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Here is some additional storytelling advice from Karsh. First, “Make it real. Strip out jargon, strip out pie-in-the-sky concepts, and strip out acronyms. Give them actionable tips, with stories to back them up.”
Second, “Don’t feel limited by your own personal stories. Use anecdotes from a friend or a colleague to really hone in on your point.” Third, keep your stories brief, and tie them back to your training tip. Fourth, present stories with energy. Finally, he says, “Make your stories personalized and fun, and always keep your specific audience in mind.”
In tomorrow’s Advisor, we present a Q&A with consultant Lee Ellis, whose stories from his time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam serve to communicate powerful lessons in leadership development.