Storytelling

Overview

🕮 Off the shelf (OTS)

Dry facts, information and data can be transformed into compelling, persuasive messages through the use of story. From the Ancient Greeks to established religions, from entertaining children to winning elections, stories have always been a powerful force for conveying information in a way that entertains, resonates, inspires and endures. We can all tell powerful stories, but often we don't. Is it because we prefer the safer rhythm of everyday conversation, or are unsure about how to construct a story that will have the right impact? Or maybe we’ve simply never considered how stories can help us in our everyday lives. Whatever the reason, we are missing out on a powerful tool to communicate at work. Storytelling is like chess – it takes minutes to understand and years to master. But if you don't know the rules, how can you begin?

The science behind it:
The construction of this eWorkout comes from a number of different sources and, while applied psychology is at its base, we have forayed into the fields of screenwriting, education and knowledge management. Perhaps most interesting of all is the research carried out by Simmons (1984) who found that stories and analogies aid retention and recall of information when teaching complex subjects.