The document discusses organizational storytelling and its benefits. It explains that storytelling is persuasive and transfers knowledge in an emotional way that triggers action. Stories build relationships, convey culture and history, and can be used for funding, marketing, branding, and damage control. The document then provides tools for storytelling, including listening to understand audiences, crafting stories for specific audiences, and invoking emotion. It suggests that organizations should foster storytelling by listening, asking questions, and practicing the art of storytelling.

1. Telling your story
U.S. Sourcelink 2015
Laura Packer
thinkstory.com
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

2. Who am I?
daughter
writer
storyteller
coach
step-mother
cyclist
cancer
survivor
friend
teacher
cook
human
evolving
entrepreneur
consultant
cancer
widow
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

3. What is storytelling?
Story:
ORIGIN late Middle English: Latin from Greek
historia - “finding out”
When we tell stories we are at once
conveying information
and finding out more information.
performance
art
writing
talking
lying
marketing
Humans are storytelling
creatures. (c) 2015 Laura S. Packer
living

4. Why organizational storytelling
• Persuasive; highly influential
• Transfers knowledge
• Emotions trigger action
• Builds relationships and community
• Conveys culture and history
• Tough stuff; numbers
• Fosters change
• Fun, entertaining, powerful, poignant, etc.
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

5. The role of organizational storytelling
• Funding
• Employee relations
• Marketing
• Branding
• Damage control
• Etc.
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

6. How does it work?
Why is it so powerful?
• Neurology
• The story triangle
• Emotional catalyst
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

7. (c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

8. A little story theory
storyteller
audience story
When we tell stories we are at once
conveying information
and finding out more information.
Storytelling is all about
building relationships
and allowing the audience room for their own
experiences, interpretation and emotions.
This will move them to action.
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

9. Information vs. Story
Information = factual value
Story = emotional value
• Of 1.6 million new U.S. cancer diagnoses in
2014, more than 550K+ will die
• 2nd most common cause of death in the U.S.
• Costs in excess of $226.8 billion/year
• I am a cancer survivor
• My husband died from pancreatic cancer
• You or people you love may be affected too.
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

10. Storyteller’s toolkit
1. Listening
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

11. The role of listening
• Allows space for new creative thinking
• Empower the speaker
• Deepen relationships
• Deeply understand others
• Identify problems and
creative solutions
• Good listening can
be addictive
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

12. Competitive listening
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

13. 1:1 listening
• Listener listens
– Don’t interrupt
– Be present
– Confidentiality
• Speaker speaks
– Not telling a story, just being listened to
– Silence is okay
– Emotion is okay
• Switch
A time when your organization
made a difference
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

14. Storyteller’s toolkit
1. Listening
2. Crafting the story; understanding your
audience
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

15. Who is your audience?
What kinds of stories do
they need to hear?
What will move them to action?
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

16. A time when your organization
made a difference
Craft the story for a particular audience.
What will move them to action?
–Listener listens
–Speaker speaks
–Switch
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

17. Storyteller’s toolkit
1. Listening
2. Crafting the story; understanding your
audience
3. Invoking emotion; telling a good story
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

18. What makes a good story?
• Beginning, middle and end
• Emotional honesty and sensory detail
• Authenticity
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

19. A time when your organization
made a difference
Craft the story for a particular audience
What will move them to action?
What do you want your audience to do after they
hear this story?
Think of your beginning line
Think of the impact this event had on you
Think of your ending
– Listener listens
– Speaker speaks
– Switch (c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

20. The same story can be recrafted
• Different audiences
• Different context
• Different needs
All the same story
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

21. How do you foster better
organizational storytelling?
• Listen
• Ask
• Practice
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

22. Critical stories for every organization
• History; how we got here, who I am
• Passion; mission, vision and values in action
• People and results; success and failure
• Personal commitment; why I am here
• Manifesto; the future
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

23. So where do you find stories?
• Personal experience
• Stakeholders
• Media
• Etc.
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

24. (c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

25. Questions
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

26. Preorder
The Five Stories Every Organization
Needs to Know and Tell
Prepublication sale $14.95
Will be $44.95 after release
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer

27. If you’d like to learn more,
please contact me.
• Sign up for my newsletter at
Thinkstory.com
• Laurapacker.com
• Skype: lspacker
• Truestorieshonestlies.blogspot.com
• Think-story.blogspot.com
• @storylaura
• laura@thinkstory.com
• 781-526-7255
(c) 2015 Laura S. Packer