Storytelling Myth (#3 of #5) – ‘You Need A Long Time To Tell A Story’
It was 6 years ago (back on 13 Nov 2019) and I was at my first LinkedIn Local event.
At the start of the event, the host announced:
“In a moment, we want everyone to stand up and give a short 30-60sec pitch about who you are and what you do”
With the specific aim that it would help us all determine who we’d mostlike to network with.
Which was a great idea, BUT nobody was prepared for this pitch……
So I started listening to everyone introducing themselves and I noticed something:
Most people were diving into lots of detail. 😳
Listing out lots of different aspects of what they actually did, day-to-day. What their services were or their common tasks.
As such, it was hard to piece together what this really rolled up to. Nor could I easily remember them or their role afterwards.
This meant, I still had no real idea who I wanted to network with. Gah!
Also, I had a sinking realisation. This was the same way I’d been introducing myself up until this point…………… which clearly did not work.
So I had to think fast.
Having just left my corporate role to become a Public Speaking Coach, I was curious ….
Could I apply storytelling in the moment to explain what I do?
By focussing on the people I help and the transformations I get them?
When it was my turn, I got up and said:
“Hi my name’s Emily Edgeley and I’m a Public Speaking Coach. I help people from Tech (who either get really nervous, or they dive straight into the detail) get to a place where they can communicate with clarity, impact and confidence. To help boost their influence, brand & career.”
I realised in that moment that YES, you can absolutely string what you do into a simple and short narrative structure. A chain of events. On the fly.
Also the bonus?
Afterwards, multiple people came up to say how clear and interesting my intro was. Yay!
That day taught me something extremely important:
You don’t need a long time to tell a story.
You can share one in < 30 seconds.
Even with no prep.
Plus it can land FAR better than information alone!
After this realisation, I ended up creating 2 different categories of storytelling in my mind:
- The ‘Epic stories’people love to learn about but can’t use as often (e.g. TED style presentations) as they require lots of fine tuning and rehearsals and a receptive audience.
- Plus the ‘Basic stories’you can pull out easily off the cuff and share every single day in the corporate world.
In fact, I use this analogy below to make sense of the difference between:
>>> Information VS a basic story VS an epic story.
Because to me….
> Information is quick and easy to share but doesn’t really get a great outcome. (Kinda like fast food).
> A long, detailed story is showy and takes a long time to prep, hence can’t be utilised that often. (Kinda like fine dining).
> However, a basic story can be whipped out every single day as it’s simple but still effective (Kinda like a home cooked meal).
That’s also why in The Captivating Storyteller™Group Coaching Program I run, I teach these 2 different types of storytelling.
Because people want to learn the epic storytelling. But it’s harder to use.
But what they need to learn is basic storytelling. Which you can use everyday.
IN SUMMARY
If you ever worry that “I don’t have the time to tell a story” (especially in the corporate world)….
Think again.
A story doesn’t have to be long. You can share a story in 30secs (even with no prep).
Q – What possibilities does this open up, around the use of storytelling?
Cheers,
Emily
Note: This Newsletter is one in a series of 5, covering the biggest misconceptions people have about storytelling. This is myth #3.
- A story needs to be extraordinary
- People don’t want to hear your story
- You need a long time to tell a story
- You have to have held an amazing life
- You have to have a really good memory
Over the next month I’ll cover the final 2 misconceptions.
P.S. Tomorrow I’m launching a 💸 BLACK FRIDAY 💸 promo where I’ll be offering 20% – 30% off my Coaching Services. If you’ve wanted to work with me for a while, this is your chance to do so, whilst saving a heap. To ensure you get all the info, join my Mailing List.
Hey, I’m Emily Edgeley, a Public Speaking Coach for the Tech industry.
Since 2017 I’ve transformed the lives of thousands, by helping them to communicate with more power. I’ve run 300+ group coaching sessions, coached more than 250 people privately, and helped more than 100+ others give their first ever Conf talk.
I’m on a mission to help anyone in Tech communicate with more clarity, impact and confidence. To boost their brand, career and influence.
Group Coaching Programs | Private Coaching Options | Corporate Workshops
Recent Comments