This document discusses the power of storytelling and provides guidance on how to craft effective stories. It notes that great stories are authentic, true to the audience and context, and have key components like protagonists, events/conflicts, and resolutions. The document also cautions that stories can get derailed if the audience or storyteller's voice is lost. It encourages focusing on the listener and using the right medium to engage them.

1. Once Upon a Time
…A Perspective on Storytelling
Kelly Schwager
SAP Global Communications
February 2, 2011

2. Once Upon A Time…
© SAP 2009 / Page 2

3. Great stories have the power to make things
happen.
We can tell stories that convey new information.
We can tell stories that teach.
We can tell stories that inspire.
We can bring people together and spark conversation.
© SAP 2009 / Page 3

4. Stories are everywhere.
© SAP 2009 / Page 4

5. 0111001101110010101110010110000011001010111110100
0000110010101111101000000110010101110011100110111
001010111001011000001100101011111010000001100101
0111110100000011001010111001000000110010101110011
1001101110010101110010110000011001010111110blah01
blahblahblah10111001000000110010101110011100110111
0010101110010blahblah1100101011111010000001100101
0111110100000011001010111001000000110010101110011
100110111001010111001blahblahblah11111010000001100
101011111010000001100101011100100000011001010111
0011100110111001010111001blah00000011001010111001
11001101110010101110010110000011001blah0000001100
1010111001110011011100101011100101100000110011111
101000000110010101111101000000110010101110010000
001100101011100111001101110blahblahblahblahblahblah
© SAP 2009 / Page 5

6. © SAP 2009 / Page 6

7. There are only six stories. We tell
them over and over again.
© SAP 2009 / Page 7

8. Story #1:
THE JOURNEY
“This is a story about
how and why we went from There to Here,
and where we’re going next.”

9. Story #2:
THE CYCLE OF LIFE
“This is a story about
someone or something’s journey
experiencing the inevitable—birth, life, death.
By observing it we confront our dread
and gain perspective and insight.”

10. Story #3:
TRANSFORMATION
“This is a story about someone who changed,
and what they learned.”

11. Story #4:
REDEMPTION
“This is the story about how,
through deeds and words,
someone settles a debt and
regains their good name.”

12. Story #5:
LOVE/ALLIANCE
“This is a story about
a Boy/Girl who meets a Boy/Girl.
Their connection changes lives.”

13. Story #6:
THE MORALITY TALE
“This is a story about consequences,
told with a strong bias and clear lesson.”

14. All of these stories can be told in
business.
© SAP 2009 / Page 14

15. Why tell stories?
© SAP 2009 / Page 15

16. Stories can be told to INFORM.
© SAP 2009 / Page 16

17. We can also tell stories that EDUCATE.
© SAP 2009 / Page 17

18. There are times when we can use stories to
INSPIRE.
© SAP 2009 / Page 18

19. Finally, we can tell stories to CONNECT.
© SAP 2009 / Page 19

20. What makes a great story great?
© SAP 2009 / Page 20

21. A great story must be authentic and
based on truth on multiple levels.
© SAP 2009 / Page 21

22. True to the audience True to a higher ideal
Great storytellers understand their The power of a great story is that it
audience—what they care about and delivers a moral or lesson. The
need to hear. They start where the emotional component of storytelling
audience is and bring people along on allows it to be the vehicle that makes
the journey. The audience members the moral stick. Your audience
see themselves in the story, making it remembers their own experiences, and
more meaningful and relevant. tune in to you and your message.
True to the moment True to the teller
The context in which you tell the story The best stories are told with strong
is part of the experience. The story and integrity from the person telling it.
how you tell it must connect to the Whether it’s the company or a specific
situation. Consider the context when executive or you as a representative of
you compose it. the company, the “teller” must make the
story true to them if they expect the
audience to respect its message.
© SAP 2009 / Page 22

23. What are the components of a good
story?
© SAP 2009 / Page 23

24. Protagonist.
Someone or something is the subject of every story.
© SAP 2009 / Page 24

25. Event/Conflict.
Something happens. It causes the character to think,
act, or behave differently.
© SAP 2009 / Page 25

26. Scene.
The time and space within which a story takes place.
© SAP 2009 / Page 26

27. Climax/Resolution.
The conflict is dealt with. The character is changed in
some way (an epiphany). A mystery is revealed.
© SAP 2009 / Page 27

28. Where are we likely to get stuck telling stories?
© SAP 2009 / Page 28

29. Audience.
Losing our focus on who’s listening, and what they
care about.
© SAP 2009 / Page 29

30. Voice.
What is the SAP voice?...What should it be today?
What is YOUR voice?
© SAP 2009 / Page 30

31. Medium.
Presentation? Email? Video? Blog?
...None of the above?
© SAP 2009 / Page 31

32. What if “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”
had been written…
in PowerPoint?!?!
© SAP 2009 / Page 32

33. The Wizard of Oz:
- Tornado carries Dorothy to Oz
- House lands on Wicked Witch of East
- Dorothy meets Munchkins
- Runs into Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion on way to Oz
- Gets captured trying to steal broomstick from Wicked
Witch of West
- Gets rescued, kills witch
- Wakes up back home
© SAP 2009 / Page 33

34. Excerpt From “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”…
“The cyclone had set the house down in a country of marvelous
beauty. While Dorothy stood looking eagerly at the strange and
beautiful sights, she noticed coming toward her a group of the
queerest people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the
grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they
very small. Three were men and one a woman, and all were oddly
dressed.
The little old woman walked up to Dorothy and said in a sweet
voice, ‘You are welcome, most noble sorceress, to the land of the
Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked
Witch of the East and for setting our people free from bondage.’
Dorothy looked and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just
under the corner of the house, two feet were sticking out, shod in
silver shoes with pointed toes.
‘But who was she?’ asked Dorothy.”
© SAP 2009 / Page 34

35. “Real” Real Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo0Rmd8mous
© SAP 2009 / Page 35 35
© SAP 2009 / Page

36. “Rediscovering SAP” - Timeline Project…
.
© SAP 2009 / Page 36

37. Timeline Project…
© SAP 2009 / Page 37

38. Finding the story.
It isn’t always about the technology.
© SAP 2009 / Page 38

39. We are all storytellers.
© SAP 2009 / Page 39

40. …And, they lived happily ever after.
© SAP 2009 / Page 40