Why Your Perfectly Good Story Puts People To Sleep
Right story, wrong audience?
Almost anyone can benefit from an understanding of strategic storytelling. Storytelling For The Defense was written for defense lawyers, specifically for those who defend the “bad guys” — big companies that don’t draw a lot of sympathy.
They have a particular challenge when telling stories. As they say, “Nobody roots for Goliath.”
The guidelines from this book, Storytelling For The Defense, could apply to anyone who’s going up against a resistant audience. Here’s a memorable quote:
“[The key to successful storytelling is] understanding the needs of your audience. All too often in trials, attorneys think they are talking to people just like them, people with the same education, background, and expertise on a given case… [The 12 jury members] yearn to hear a couple of ideas conveyed in language that is clear and compelling …a story that makes sense and engages them.”
I could have used this idea for a presentation when I assumed I was talking to people like me — and like most of the people I know.
