Category Archives:
Storytelling in Business
November 12, 2009
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October 3, 2009
Engagement Skills – How to Hold Your Audience Attention
Recently, while providing a corporate training for the top sales agents in a large pharmaceutical company, I asked the following question: “Have you ever been speaking, and you look out into your audience and see ‘screen saver eyes’? You know – that glassy-eyed look that let’s you know you’ve lost their attention?” They all laughed and […]
October 3, 2009
Are You in The Right Place?
We all know life is a journey. But did you know that you’re always in the right place on that journey. And when it’s time to move on, the next place will be the right place. This story is a wonderful illustration of right time, right place, all the time.
October 3, 2009
Beware the Phony Speaker’s Smile
Some speakers and trainers smile no matter what they’re saying. They think they need to project a happy face all the time. This phony smile is often incongruent with what they’re saying. Be careful not to do this or you won’t be taken seriously.
September 3, 2009
How to Be Funny When You Need to Be Funny
As a storytelling and speaking coach, one of the most gratifying aspects of what I do is helping people with their comedic timing. Natural comedians have an instinctive ability to know when to pause and for exactly how long. For them, timing is like the syncopation of music. At its best, comedic timing is the […]
September 3, 2009
How To Handle Praise
How do you handle compliments and praise after you give a great presentation?
September 3, 2009
Speak from Your Head with Your Heart Wide Open
Employee engagement and presentation skills.
August 12, 2009
How to End Your Story by Finishing Strong
Think of a spear that has a sharp point on the end. If you throw it at the ground, the sharp point will pierce the dirt and make the spear stick. If the end of the spear is round or dull, it will bounce off the ground. It won’t stick. The same is true with the point of your story. In this storytelling article, I will focus on sharpening the point of your stories.
May 21, 2009
Storytelling Training – Take Your Stories Seriously
I recently spoke to the Central Indiana Chapter of ASTD on the use of storytelling for trainers using my Story Theater Method. In addition to illustrating how the Story Theater Method works by telling my Dagger Lady Story, I coached two volunteers on their stories. The feedback I received from the 85 trainers in attendance […]
May 18, 2009
Storytelling in Business – Make Your Point Stick
The answer to the question, “What’s the point?” needs to be concise and simple, not a lengthy explanation. Can you state the point of your story in five or six words?
