The document discusses using stories in presentations to better engage the audience and promote understanding and retention of the message. It explains that stories activate different parts of the brain related to emotion, experience, and memory. A 3-step process is provided for structuring a message: 1) begin with a story, 2) clearly state the request or point, and 3) explain the audience's benefit. Building the message in reverse order and practicing it forward is recommended. The brain processes stories differently than facts alone, making stories an effective tool for communication.

1. The Build Up
To a Great Stand Up
3-Step Process

2. “If we can’t
communicate,
we will fail to
reach our
goals.”
— Barry Pruitt

3. Link Your Message with a Short Story to
Affect the Brain

4. NEURAL COUPLING
A story activates parts in the
brain that allow the listener
to turn the story into their
own ideas and experience.
Link Your Message with a Short Story to
Affect the Brain

5. DOPAMINE
The brain releases dopamine
when it experiences an
emotionally-charged event,
making it easier to remember
and with greater accuracy.
NEURAL COUPLING
A story activates parts in the
brain that allow the listener
to turn the story into their
own ideas and experience.
Link Your Message with a Short Story to
Affect the Brain

6. CORTEX ACTIVITY
When processing facts, two
different areas of the brain
activate. Two is better than
one.
DOPAMINE
The brain releases dopamine
when it experiences an
emotionally-charged event,
making it easier to remember
and with greater accuracy.
NEURAL COUPLING
A story activates parts in the
brain that allow the listener
to turn the story into their
own ideas and experience.
Link Your Message with a Short Story to
Affect the Brain

7. CORTEX ACTIVITY
When processing facts, two
different areas of the brain
activate. Two is better than
one.
MIRRORING
Listeners will experience
similar brain activity to each
other when it’s a good story.
DOPAMINE
The brain releases dopamine
when it experiences an
emotionally-charged event,
making it easier to remember
and with greater accuracy.
NEURAL COUPLING
A story activates parts in the
brain that allow the listener
to turn the story into their
own ideas and experience.
Link Your Message with a Short Story to
Affect the Brain

8. 3-Step Process: Link Your Message with a Short Story
How to Prepare For Your
Message to Be Heard,
Understood, & Embraced

9. Pack the listener’s
mental bag and take
them to your story,
explain your diagram, or
offer your statistics.
STORY
3-Step Process: Link Your Message with a Short Story
1

10. Pack the listener’s
mental bag and take
them to your story,
explain your diagram, or
offer your statistics.
STORY
Make a clear and specific
request of your audience.
TELL them what you want
them to do.
POINT
3-Step Process: Link Your Message with a Short Story
1 2

11. Pack the listener’s
mental bag and take
them to your story,
explain your diagram, or
offer your statistics.
STORY
Make a clear and specific
request of your audience.
TELL them what you want
them to do.
POINT
Tell your audience how
THEY will gain or benefit
by doing what you ask.
BENEFIT
3-Step Process: Link Your Message with a Short Story
1 2 3

12. BUILD Your Message in REVERSE Order

13. THEIR BENEFIT: Example - We’ll reduce the overlap
of projects and the related costs, gain the synergy of
the team working in alignment, and reduce wasted
time and resources spent on unnecessary projects.
BUILD Your Message in REVERSE Order

14. POINT: Example - We should standardize project
methodology and require all project managers to use it.
BUILD Your Message in REVERSE Order

15. STORY: Example - Gartner research indicates that
over 75% of high performing organizations have a
clear project management methodology with required
approval steps and closeout. It often includes a
committee that prioritizes projects by value to the
overall organization.
BUILD Your Message in REVERSE Order

16. PLAY Your Message FORWARD

17. STORY: Gartner research
indicates that over 75% of high
performing organizations have
a clear project management
methodology with required
approval steps and closeout. It
often includes a committee that
prioritizes projects by value to
the overall organization.
PLAY Your Message FORWARD

18. PLAY Your Message FORWARD
STORY: Gartner research
indicates that over 75% of high
performing organizations have
a clear project management
methodology with required
approval steps and closeout. It
often includes a committee that
prioritizes projects by value to
the overall organization.
POINT: Standardize
our project
methodology and
require all project
managers to use it.

19. THEIR BENEFIT: We’ll
more quickly eliminate
projects that don’t make
sense, gain team synergy
from working in alignment,
and reduce wasted time/
resources spent on
projects.
POINT: Standardize
our project
methodology and
require all project
managers to use it.
PLAY Your Message FORWARD
STORY: Gartner research
indicates that over 75% of high
performing organizations have
a clear project management
methodology with required
approval steps and closeout. It
often includes a committee that
prioritizes projects by value to
the overall organization.

20. Your STORY
Reach Your Goals
With more persuasion & more quickly!
Persuasion
Magic
THEIR Benefit
Your POINT
Listen
first Barry@RhythmSystems.com
Put it all together
3-Step Process