8 Practical Ways to Become a Better Storyteller

There I was, kicking off the big meeting, standing anxiously in front of 50 people in a large corporate conference room. I really wanted to engage the group and inspire them to action, but I was worried that my slides had too much detail and that my topic was too complex. Adding to the pressure, the outcome of this meeting would decide whether this client would hire me for future projects.

At first, the group seemed to be paying attention, probably because it was an important topic and I had a lot of energy for it. But I saw people shifting in their chairs and looking at me with blank faces. I began sensing a need to make a stronger connection with the group.

Just then, a relevant story popped to mind. Deviating from my planned remarks, I began by sharing, “Probably the worst day this past summer ended with me realizing something about myself….”

I went on to describe the difficult day and explain a leadership lesson I learned from it. As I concluded, I noticed that several people had wet eyes and were smiling back at me. That gave me the confidence to weave in additional stories over the course of the meeting to illustrate my points.

Afterwards, the leader came over to tell me it was the most engaging meeting I’d ever run for their group!

There’s no other possible explanation for their reaction than this: Telling stories inspired and engaged the group far more than my data or prepared talking points ever could.

Do you ever find yourself wanting to inspire or engage a group while communicating data or complex topics?

Perhaps more frequent and effective storytelling would help.

My recent success in the big meeting didn’t come because I’m a natural on my feet. It came because I intentionally applied best practices in storytelling.

As a communication consultant, I keep a list of keys to effective storytelling. Here’s what I’ve learned about how to tell better stories:

1. Have a beginning, middle, and end…with change over time.
2. Focus on a hero with a cause and a villain the hero must overcome.
3. Tap into the mundane and vulnerable parts of life.
4. Add stakes, suspense, surprise, and humor.
5. Describe what was said, how people felt, and what was done.
6. Don’t provide too much detail.
7. Make the message relatable.
8. Don’t try to tell it perfectly.

I’m more naturally inclined to communicate data and explanations; these eight guidelines help me tell stories with confidence. They provide structure and filter for what to communicate. It all boils down to this: Unfold a relatable journey with emotion.

I’ve been less anxious preparing for high-stakes meetings since that successful 50-person meeting. Just include more stories to illustrate your points, I say to myself.

What important meeting do you have coming up where you’d like to inspire and engage the group?

Improve how you influence people. Order my new book Lead with Influence to become a better communicator and gain buy-in from others. Don’t “tell” people what they should think or do. Improve your ability to “sell” them on the value of doing it.

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About the Author. Matt Norman coaches and advises executives on how to build great people and culture. He is president and CEO of Norman & Associates, which offers custom coaching and consulting in the areas of talent strategy, personal effectiveness, planning, and goal alignment to help people improve how they communicate, lead, influence, and work together. He’s also the award-winning author of Four Patterns of Healthy People.

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