Whether you’re in a boardroom or at a BBQ, a good narrative can change minds and win hearts.
Storytelling is an art form I’ve spent my entire life practicing — so I get pretty passionate about it. Still it’s magical for me every time I’m swept away into someone else’s universe (Shout out to my most recent portal: Anna Burns’ novel Milkman)
And as foolhardy as applying math to an art form might be, I’m going to posit a theory based on my years of writing experience. There is an interesting ratio to effective stories. I think it’s 35% about what you, the storyteller, knows + 63% about where your audience is at. And yes, fellow math nerds: I’ve left out a 2% angel’s cut for the mysteries of inspiration.
The Story = 35% You + 63% Who’s Listening to You.
Some would argue it’s a 50/50 split. I hope we can all agree that storytelling is not all about the one doing the talking. Rather than defend my exact numbers, I want to tell you something more about the work required to address both sides of this powerful equation.
It’s about what you know. Maybe it’s the facts of that thing that actually happened. Maybe it’s what’s most interesting or memorable to you. Understanding what changed as a result of the actual experience is the central power of the story. Next select the details that are unique and important — and discard the ones that distract or conflate your point.
It’s mostly about the other person. Who are you talking to and why should they listen? Understand the expectations of your audience. What are their needs and what is your agenda? Ideally the change you identified in step one is something you can help your audience experience alongside you in a fresh telling.
This time, they are in the driver’s seat. It might be the delighted chuckle of comprehension over a punchline. Or the satisfaction that they’d suspected the right murder all along. Or the excitement to buy a solution created years ago for a problem they have just begun to face .
Last storytelling tactic: Start as close to the end as possible. Tell them only the details they need to know. Provide only the context most relevant to them. This blend of strategy is what for me makes storytelling so dynamic.
Even in a crowd, a story is always a one-to-one experience with the listener bringing themselves into the message with every re-telling.
