The Power of Storytelling

Jon Parnell
UBC Student Leadership Conference 2016

Documentary: The Speech

that Made Obama President

Why Are They So Powerful?

Increased Ability to Remember through Stories
Increased Emotional Reaction to Stories
Increased Ability to Make Sense of Situations

Storytelling is an essential tool in your

leadership toolbox.

Lets Get Started

Places to Use Storytelling

You & Your Team

Career Development

Early Days

Job Interviews

Building A Team

Selling Ideas

End of a Team

Making History

Early Days: Icebreakers

Icebreaker 1: One Word Stories
Icebreaker 2: Story of Your Hair
Icebreaker 3: The Story Spine

Places to Use Storytelling

Leadership Roles
Early Days

Career Development

Job Interviews

Building A Team

Selling Ideas

End of a Team

Making History

Building a Strong Team

Becoming Relatable
Youve broken the rules
You have fun

Bonding a Team
Funniest vacation moment
Scariest/funniest prank

Building a Strong Team

Horror stories Telling the worst thing that has happened to
someone, in order to encourage a certain system.
Is this a good technique?
Outstanding staff stories Telling a phenomenal accomplishment
of past employees with the aim of inspiring or motivating.
Is this a good technique?

Places to Use Storytelling

Leadership Roles

Career Development

Early Days

Job Interviews

Building a Team

Selling Ideas

End of a Team

Making History

End of a Team

Sharing highlights
Moments of learning
Photo Slideshows
Videos

Places to Use Storytelling

Leadership Roles

Career Development

Early Days

Job Interviews

Building A Team

Selling Ideas

End of a Team

Making History

What is your Greatest Accomplishment?

Describe a time you dealt with conflict within a team.

Describe a time you had to work under pressure.
Describe a time you went above and beyond.

Tips Part 1: The Story Arc

1. Problem Solution
2. Every line of your story leads towards the end
3. Beginning, Middle, End
4. Full Circle
5. Open and close the curiosity gap

The Story Spine

Once upon a time...
Every day...
But one day...

Because of that...
Because of that...
Because of that...

Until finally...
And ever since then...

Repeat as necessary

Tips Part 2: Selectivity

1. Have a point.
2. Be selective.
3. Favour emotion over logistics.

4. Be okay with making up little details.

Tips Part 3: The Art of Telling

1. Throw in the occasional idioms & metaphors.

2. Body language & tone of voice.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice. Have several stories prepared.

Places to Use Storytelling

Leadership Roles

Career Development

Early Days

Job Interviews

Building A Team

Selling Ideas

End of a Team

Making History

Tips Part 4: Selling Ideas

1. Avoid tag-team telling a story.
2. Let the audience know your goal.
3. Here, the story is only half way through.

4. Weve got the problem, now here is the solution.

Places to Use Storytelling

Leadership Roles

Career Development

Early Days

Job Interviews

Building A Team

Selling Ideas

End of a Team

Making History

Make History

Our stories are the tellers of us.

Places to Use Storytelling

Leadership Roles

Career Development

Early Days

Job Interviews

Building A Team

Selling Ideas

End of a Team

Making History