Who Tells the Best Story

bysiskiyoujim

182 followers

Updated 4 years ago

Who doesn't love a good story?

I drive a lot for work, and one of the best things to stay productive on my commute to a clients home or business are audio books and podcasts.

Do you know what I've noticed? The best podcasts and books use a ton of illustrations. I retain so much more with a good story behind an idea or concept. Don't you?

I was watching the movie Amistad last month. Wow! The acting was amazing, the portrayals shocking, the graphic nature of the film entirely justified. Oh. My. Goodness!

One of the most poignant scenes of the movie is when Thomas Joadson (played by Morgan Freeman) asks John Quincy Adams to represent the captive men and women who were illegally about to become slaves and property. The case was going to the US Supreme Court.

In asking for advice, John Quincy Adams tells Thomas Joadson that "in my experience, the one who tells the best story usually wins the case". Wow! just wow. That makes me want to become a fantastic storyteller, how about you?

John Quincy Adams won that Supreme Court Case concerning the men and women of the Amitstad. It was a politically charged case that was a trigger point in the American Civil War. He was right though. Those people were not property, they were men and women, humans who deserve to be treated in the same fairness and righteousness as all other humans. John Quincy Adams told a Great Story and won a great case that altered history.

Do You Want to Win More Often?

Would you like to sell more products, or memberships, or programs? Tell a great story. Would you like to promote your business or the business of one of your clients? Again, Tell a Great story.

I've listened to a lot of teachers and preachers over my nearly 60 years on God's green earth, and you know who my favorites always are? You're right! It's those who tell stories all the time. One of those men used to tell stories and half way through his story I'd be scratching my head wondering what in the world his story had to do with his topic. He always held the attention of his audience, and he still does.

The greatest teacher in the history of the world used stories all the time. The Bible calls them parables. One of the reasons Jesus was thought of as a great teacher is because he told stories that illustrated his points.

President Ronald Reagan was known as "The Great Communicator". Why? Because he always told stories and jokes to everyone. He loved to give his speeches and lace them heavily with stories. He won a lot of victories at the same time as he won a lot of hearts. In his day, he told the best story.

Who is Your Favorite Teacher?

Why do you like to listen to any teacher at all? I've had college professors who couldn't keep a methamphetamine addict awake for five minutes. No bottle of Nyquil could compete. Move over Melatonin, there's a new sleep aid in town, and he's teaching ancient history.

Ancient History! It could've been the most amazing and incredible class on campus, but my professor failed to tell the stories and kept to the facts. BORING!

One of those proverbs that sticks to my brain like gum on my shoes says, "No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care". That's a great one to have glued into my person.

If my professor would have revealed the emotions and struggles, the will to overcome, the risks of losing and the glories and benefits of winning, I could have listened to him all day long. He just needed to convey that the heroes and villains of history were real people, and not some blob of cells following a mindless mission. I don't remember any of what my teacher made us study, but he was by far the bigger loser because he didn't tell much of a story.

What's the point of my story?

I've been listening to the audio book, "Talk Like TED" by Carmine Gallo. I read it a few years ago. It's a huge resource for anyone who talks, teaches, or writes for a living. If your job or business involves communication or persuasion of any sort, then you should read this book. If you can't read it, listen to it.

Carmine lays out a simple formula to hold the interests of your audience and help persuade them to help you reach your goals. Ready? Here it is, use it in good health.

Gallo says the perfect talk or message consists of

65% pathos, - emotional appeal - stories and parables, and emotion inducing content.
25% logos - facts. These are the things that my history professor bored us to tears with. He used 80-90% of the class to give us facts.
10% ethos - credibility and qualifications. Most of us are pretty good about not giving too many qualifications. If we do, we come across like a scientist or nerd. Keep it short, sweet, and only in proportion to what is absolutely neccesary.

See if you can use this in your writing skills. Next time you listen to a great speech, see if most of it evokes your emotions, or if most of it is fact and figures and the credibility of the speaker. I bet the ones you enjoy the most are one who tell the best story.

Who's your favorite teacher and why? Is he or she a great storyteller, or is there something else that makes them easy to listen to? Leave a comment below, and let me know what you think makes a great message or messenger.