Heard this bit on storytelling from Seth Godin‘s podcast this morning:
A story is a set of symbols integrated together to create a memory and emotions…
And as we all know creating a memory and connect with people at an emotional level is what the best leaders out there do. However, in my opinion, merely being a good storyteller doesn’t really cut it. There’s more that goes into building a great leader out of you than just your gift of the gab.
That said, storytelling IS one of the best ways to start investing in yourself. Because when you tell a story, you communicate. Often more powerfully than mere words could ever do. And that’s what makes stories so special.
But not everyone’s a born storyteller. Despite that we’re (literally) storytelling machines, making up stories all the time! Yet, to be a great storyteller you have to start somewhere. That may have you invest time in telling stories that may not work first but you try nevertheless, telling your best version of the story ever delivered. And after that, the next best version.
Like all things in life, telling a story is a skill refined over time. Ask an accomplished professional speaker and he will tell you that great stories are not written, they’re rewritten. And then they’re retold, over and over again.
As per Seth, to become a great storyteller you have to become a lousy one at first.