The art of story telling

At XOOTS we believe, world-class teams strive to see things from a full range of perspectives, and storytelling plays an essential role in connecting data to emotion and opening people’s minds. Although every business must pay attention to facts and figures, data alone can’t propel innovation. In fact, research shows that arguments based purely on numbers are less effective at changing someone’s mind. Stories are particularly helpful when trying to rally support for a new idea. When there’s no data to prove something might work, a powerful story can do a better job of showing potential. Storytelling can have an impact on every single area of a business.

Stories can create a sense of purpose by connecting you to the person for whom you are creating the product. A good story is about reducing it down to the essence. In a business context, it’s just as important as in film or entertainment to think about the way you structure your story and select the right pieces of information for maximum impact. There are four main elements in a story: Context, Conflict, Climax, and Closure.

Here are three storytelling tips to keep in mind to put together a great narrative:

1. Put your audience first: No matter how you deliver your story—in a live presentation or on paper—the most important thing to think about is how you can engage your audience. Focus on clarity: When possible, translate data into plain language. Don’t overwhelm your audience with data: Use storytelling to counterbalance information overload. Presenting real and personal stories is far more engaging than simply presenting a set of demographics.
2. Take people on an emotional journey: If you think about the stories you consume in books and movies, they almost all involve some sort of tension—something that’s overcome by the end of the story. That doesn’t mean that you need to scare your audience, but you do need them to connect emotionally: All the data in the world won’t sway your stakeholders if they can’t connect emotionally with what it means. If you can harness imagination and the principles of a well-told story, then you get people rising to their feet amid thunderous applause instead of yawning and ignoring you
3. Be interactive: Create prototypes or interactive data visualizations to bring your story to life. Encourage your audience to engage with the story actively, making it a more memorable and impactful experience for them.

Today, companies are incorporating storytelling into their culture, from pitching to branding, and explaining their values. But just as home cooks have a lot to learn before they can become trained chefs, there’s a lot to learn before you can master storytelling. By focusing on your audience, taking them on an emotional journey, and being interactive, you can create compelling narratives that inspire and motivate your team, stakeholders, and customers. How do you learn story telling? join the community and sign up for the XOOTS Academy course on storytelling and discover the power of a great story to inspire. Be part of the XOOTS journey and lets create the story together.