Got a story to tell? How can your audience connect to your stories? Let’s make it meaningful!

Stories that resonate are like your favorite songs. When you tell compelling stories, your audiences — large and small — will enjoy hearing them more than once!

Just as we’ve all listened to a great piece of music a number of times, or watched a favorite movie more than once, when you tell powerful stories, people will want to hear them again!

This is important because too many speakers treat their stories like one- off experiences. They don’t craft or practice them so they come out differently every time, usually making them too long, and less effective.

But, when you tell good stories — stories that illustrate important points, or values — stories that connect people with your vision — your ideas will be better understood and you’ll be more effective.

Every time you have a new hire, or are talking to a different group, you can share that really great story to make that very important point. You’ll make the connection that makes the difference.

Some people in your audience will have heard a particular story before, but they won’t mind hearing it again. In fact, they’ll be glad to hear it again because it’s such a good story!

I urge you to think about your really important experiences, craft them into meaningful narratives, and tell those stories whenever you have a new audience, even if some people may have heard them before!

How John Bates blew his TED TalkBy JOHN BATES / ABOUT AUTHOR
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