The 8 Steps Storytelling Structure ~ Leadershift

Getting Started

Start hunting for stories.
Maintain your story wish list.
Refer to the cheat sheet.
Create your own story database.
Start telling your stories.

Storytelling Structure

1. The Hook

"I think the best example of that I’ve seen was when…"
"The best lesson I ever learned about that was when…"
"That’s a tough problem. Let me tell you what I did..."
"When I ran into the same problem last year…"

2. The Context A

Creditable - "Where and when?"

3. The Context B

Relatable - "Who’s the main character?"

A real person.

If you have a company/team, select one person with his or her role as the main character of your story.

A fictional person.

Let the audience know you are making it up.

You.

Try not to use yourself as the main character.
It might be seen as arrogant.

4. The Challenge

Worthy - "What do they want?"
The complication or catalyst in the story.
Where the hero meets the villain.

Test: If you remove this part, nothing of interest would happen in the story.

5. The Conflict or Struggle

The hero does battle with the villain.
The honest struggle – can’t be too easy.
The struggle could be internal.
50% - 60% of the story.

6. The Resolution

Did the hero win or lose?
Did the plan work?
How were things forever changed as a result of the ordeal?

Test: Does the audience know how to feel about what happened?

7. The Lessons

The risk is that the audience might not draw the right conclusion.
Pick a transition-out phrase

"I think what I learned from that was…"
"That’s when I realized…"
"So, that explains why…"
"What I think we should have done was…"
"What I’ve since come to realize is…"

Explain the lesson(s)

Your reflection on or assessment of the whole experience.
Should tie directly to your Objective in telling the story.

8. The Action

Find out what your audience plans to do now they have heard the story.

If they answer what you want to hear, you are done.

If needed, explain the recommendation.

What do you want your audience to do now?
Should tie directly to your Objective in telling the story.

If you chose the right story to tell, you should never been answering questions 7 and 8.

Techniques for Emotion

Identify the points in your story with the most potential for emotional engagement. Identify 1-3 points with the highest potential. Jot down the name of the emotion the characters are experiencing. Brainstorm ideas to add to your story using one or more of the following techniques.

Tell me (simplest) - Name the emotion the character is experiencing.

"He was scared out of the weeds", "He was so exciting"

Show me (more powerful) - Describe physical manifestations of the emotions of the character and let the audience infer the emotion.

Instead of "He was angry" say "He started yelling at...",
Instead of "He was sad" say "He was crying"

Avoid the "Stormtrooper effect" - nameless, faceless, crumps.

Let the audience get to know your characters before something happens to them.

Name and describe your character, and how the person is and relates to others.

Dialogue - Outer and inner, let the audience hear it directly from your character

Instead of "She was exhausted and sleepy for your presentation" say "She leaned into the microphone and said, 'I am really excited to be here but inside she was thinking, oh my god I am going to fall asleep in the middle of the next sentence'"

Elements of Surprise

In the beginning, gets the audience to pay attention.

Lead with the most unusual event (then flashback to the beginning).

"The first time I met the CEO of the company was the day she fired me. Here's what happened…"

Set expectations, then violate them. Explain to your audience how great things were going before they fell apart, or how lousy a day it was before you got the promotion.

Contrast creates surprise.

No natural surprise, create one.

Skip one element in context and let the audience figure it out.

Create a surprise ending - Helping your audience remember the lesson they learned.

Take one or two details that belong at the beginning of your story and don't give them to your audience until the end of the story. (

"…and I know this story so well because the guy in that story who got fired – that was me. I'll never make that mistake again."

Using Details

Only add details that explain the main character's motivations.
Replace generic words with specific words.

Instead of "he was really tall" say "he was 6'4""

Referer to characters by name not by job title.

Instead of "account payable clerk" say "July from accounting"

Use metaphors to explain complex ideas.

It uses fewer words to explain something complex.
Instead of trying to describe the complex set of thoughts and emotions that your character was having about their impending deadline, you might just describe it was like "a dark cloud following her around"

Accuracy

Telling a fictional story is okay as long the audience knows about it.

Come along with a plausible realistic story

"Let's suppose..."
"Imagine..."
"Okay, I'm totally making this up, I think it will help to understand..."

Balance too careless vs too cautious.
Litmus Test: Imagine someone who listened to your story was actually there when it originally happened.

Would they be offended?
Would you be embarrassed?

Delivery

Oral

Use the story structure template.
Outline the 7 steps stories

Written

Write the way you speak
~15 words per sentence.
<10% words greater than two syllables.
<10% passive voice - use active voice instead.

Instead "the proposal was rejected by the committee" say "the committee rejected our proposal"

Flesch-Kincaid level checker

WSJ ~ 8-10
John Grisham ~7-8

Length

An average adult speaks 150 words per minute.
Average 600 words (4 minutes)
Most range from 450-750 (3-5 minutes)

How to Shorten a Story

Start with the Story Structure Template.
Delete content but leave some answers in each section.

Otherwise, the story is incomplete.

How to Find a Story

Create a wish list.
Capture stories that happen to you.
Remember stories you heard others tell.
Search your past, ask people, and interview them (use your wish list)

"Your greatest success?"
"Most miserable failure?"
"What job do you love the most?"
"Most difficult experience?"
"Best working relationship?"
"Did you feel the greatest team spirit?"
"Who do you admire most? Why?"
"What time you were most inspired?"
"Toughest problem ever solved?"
"The most creative thing you’ve done?"
"Best customer success you’ve seen?"
"Most compelling sales story you’ve heard?"
"Tough feedback that helped your performance?"

Create venues for sharing stories.

Leadership Stories

Where we came from (founding)
Why we can’t stay here (case-for-change)
Where we’re going (vision)
How we’re going to get there (strategy)
What we believe (corporate values)
Who we serve (customer)
What we do for our customers (sales)
How we differ from competitors (marketing)
Why I lead the way I do (leadership philosophy)
Why you should want to work here (recruiting)

Leadershift

My notes in Leadership and Communication.

The 8 Steps Storytelling Structure