Your Best Story May Be Wrong for the Room...
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Storytelling Is Fundamental, and Make Sure You Know Your Audience. Hello Reader, Kevin O’Connor has hosted This Old House on PBS for more than 20 years. He tells stories for a living... 52 television episodes a year. So, when he decided to try his hand at speaking onstage, he naturally did what he already knew how to do: He got up and started telling stories. And, in Kevin’s words…“Oh my God, was it not like what I was used to.” Because a story that works beautifully on a television job site may not work at all for a live audience,
Storytelling matters IN EVERY COMMUNICATION. Stories help us sell ideas, bring a strategy to life, lead people through change, attract talent, build culture, raise money, make complex information memorable, and help people care. Stories are your Number ONE tool for communicating with Human Beings. In fact, Axios recently reported that storytelling was a major theme among founders and CEOs at SXSW, and that the percentage of U.S. LinkedIn job postings mentioning “storyteller” doubled last year. Stories work. But merely having a story is not enough. It has to be the right story, told in the right way, for the people in front of you. That doesn’t mean you’re a poor communicator. It means the room has changed. And when the room changes, your communication needs to change with it. Kevin said one of the most important things he learned through our work together was: You have to know your audience. Not every story is the same. Before your next important presentation, ask yourself:
Knowing your audience means shaping your message so the people in front of you can actually receive it. Great communication isn’t simply SPEAKING well. It’s making SURE your WORDS RESONATE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE. Watch Kevin share what he learned about telling stories from the stage. And if you or someone you know is preparing to step into a bigger room, I’d love to help make sure the message is MEANINGFUL. Just reply to this email. I read every response. I can see that you read these missives. Thank you. Much love and gratitude to you, John Can't watch the video? Click Here. 🚨September is coming fast... Don’t miss your chance to learn how to turn your expertise into powerful media exposure once everything heats up again, to open doors for bigger opportunities. 🔗 Join our next Master Class to get great insights into making your Expertise work even harder to get you the Visibility you deserve. From the Archive - Live Like a Leader PODCAST!
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