Story. It's everywhere. If you spend any time online, chances are you've seen articles, videos and blog posts about "Story" or "The Power of Story" and its uses in business, marketing, education, medicine, etc. Maybe you've seen all this and thought "What's the big deal?" or "I don't have time for stories." After all, you know what a story is. You've heard them and told them all your life. So, what do stories have to do with the real world or the bottom line?Just about every family has stories they tell and re-tell when they get together. When my family in south Louisiana gets together, they love to tell stories about the trouble my cousin and I got into as kids. My children can't wait to hear those same stories they heard at last year's Christmas. Now, my children know these stories by heart, but they thrill at hearing them told again by grandparents, great-aunts and older cousins. Why? Because these stories connect with them emotionally. They tell them something about who they are. In my kid's minds, these stories are about them! These stories create a bond between the teller and the listener.
That's the power of a good story: connection. Your students and your customers want connection, not information. Stories invite, information bores. If you've ever sat through a bullet-ridden Powerpoint presentation, you know what I'm talking about. You don't remember statistics or mission statements that sounded like they were plagiarized from Dilbert. You remember the stories shared, whether they applied or not. Your customers are the same way. They won't remember features and benefits as much as the connection shared through a story.
That's what this blog is about: Stories - how we use them, share them, tell them, find them, nurture them and create them. Whether you don't think you have any stories to share or you have so many you can't pin one down, join us as we build a community powered by our own stories!
