I am hoping by now that everyone knows WHAT “storytelling” does for influencing and persuading audiences and WHY it works.
Without citing any of the brain science that has been widely reported, it most simply triggers us to connect with what we don’t yet know and care about, with things we do know and care about. I spent the majority of my holiday break reading up on all the latest communication books and articles and observing the proliferation of speakers, trainers and coaches who want to teach you storytelling (I am among them, of course).
But what is not in abundance are folks who can unpack HOW you build a storytelling culture, especially among those professions that are folding knowledge hand over fist. Like in science, medicine, research, data and analytics.
We did a quick review of the top 20 Data Science master’s degree programs in the U.S. Only two of them had any notable requirement relating to communications, and one included it in a final-final-project course.
So if you believe that storytelling is important and know that it works, but you are hiring smart young talent without these skills, how do you assure that the rigor and practice of storytelling is in your innovative company, science lab or medical center culture?
That question will be what we are going to explore in 2019.
It’s a complex answer, far longer than I’m allowed in one blog post. But we’ll break it down with best practices, discreet training suggestions and most importantly, behaviors that entire teams need to embrace to assure storytelling is impactful toward business imperatives. Tune in with us, and be sure to share your thoughts and observations below.
Does your culture embrace storytelling? Why or why not?
Make a commitment to storytelling in 2019. Join us at our first open class of the year Feb. 1 when we teach the art of Content Framing & Storytelling. Learn more and register now.