Resource: To Persuade People, Tell Them a Story

One of the reasons I emphasize stories and storytelling in these classes is because I am sure that the ability to tell a memorable story will benefit everyone in whatever career they happen to follow. Here's a great article from the Wall Street Journal about how storytelling is more powerful than Powerpoint!

To Persuade People, Tell Them a Story: Narrative Is a Powerful Way to Get a Message Across
by Dennis Nishi

Here is a quote from the article:

Even with digital and social-media tools, employees often struggle to convey ideas to each other, to managers and to customers. That's why companies such as FedEx, Kimberly-Clark and Microsoft are teaching executives to tell relatable stories as a way to improve workplace communication. It's a tool that's more useful than PowerPoint presentations, say career experts, who note that storytelling can also be used on a day-to-day basis to sell ideas to one person or a hundred. But being an effective storyteller requires preparation. Move beyond facts and figures, which aren't as memorable as narratives, says Cliff Atkinson, a communications consultant from Kensington, Calif., and author of "Beyond Bullet Points." Many people in business think raw data is persuasive. But when you're dealing with people from other departments and in different fields who don't understand how you got that data, you can lose them pretty quickly.

Intrigued? Read more at the article: To Persuade People, Tell Them a Story.

(cartoon by Dave Whamond, Reality Check)