HOW STORYTELLING CAN SHAPE OUR LIVES

Since the dawn of time, as people sat around a firepit and the only family entertainment was storytelling, the importance of this art form has been immense.

With the advent of printed books, then radio, then TV, storytelling has been increasingly relegated to a skill to be used with children, until they could read on their own, then put aside.

Fast forward to today, the collective attention span has diminished to reach an alarmingly low point, a 30 second video is what most people will be able to digest, a post of only a few lines is what people are willing to read and pay attention to.

So, you may ask, what is the role of storytelling today?  Is it an obsolete skill?  Do we still need it?  When?

Apart from the value of being able to tell a story in a social setting, that may be underestimated by many but much appreciated by most, there is a relatively new area in which having the right narrative can be of utmost importance: in business settings, in the world of startups.

Simply put, a startup, but every enterprise really, is the sum of a visionary founder, an innovative product, process or service, a serviceable market with a well-defined target customer and a sustainable business model.  Business angels and angel investors receive tens of pitches a week, most of them with all the above parameters in place.  The one thing that truly makes a difference at the very beginning of the relationship is the story behind the project.

Figures and rational thinking, we have been led to believe, are what make business decisions; however, they do not stick in anyone’s mind, a good story does! Founders who are able to tell a captivating and relatable story have a huge advantage over those who do not. 

Some people are naturals, and that is wonderful, however, most of us are not, and the good news is that we all can learn how to tell a good story, here are a few pointers:

• Start with the message: decide what you want and need to communicate and what outcome you wish to obtain.  
• Be personal: show your vulnerability, connect with the audience, show the struggle
• Engage the audience: make them the hero, don’t blow your own horn, you can be a central figure, however, ultimately, the focus should be on the lessons learned.
• Show the struggle: a story without a challenge is not very interesting, some tension will help the audience get closer to the solution you propose.
• Keep it simple: do not give unnecessary details or make the story too convoluted but do use some key words or emotions to engage with your audience.
• Practice, practice, practice.  Start with something small, for example tell your partner about a grocery shopping trip and try to make one event interesting and compelling.  

Stories speak to our hearts, make us feel alive and inspire us to act.  Storytelling transcends cultures and languages, can be used in job interviews, VC pitches, executive training, team building activities, almost any area of business.  

There is one very important thing to remember always: the story you tell must be genuine, otherwise people will be estranged instead of engaged.  In every interaction, I challenge to start with the why, make your story interesting, relatable, memorable, you will be pleasantly surprised by the results!