The ultimate guide to storytelling in business : a proven, seven-step approach to deliver business-critical messages with impact / Samir Parikh.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Parikh, Samir, 1970- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Business communication.

Communication in management.

Storytelling.

Marketing.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 218 pages) : illustrations (some color), charts

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Proven, seven-step approach to deliver business-critical messages with impact

Proven, 7 step approach to deliver business-critical messages with impact

Place of Publication:

Hoboken : John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2024.

Summary:

"How often have you had to deliver a pitch, convey a message or empower an audience with only one chance to get it right? Perhaps a job interview, an important sales presentation, or the announcement of major changes within your organization? Have you ever had a powerful idea that was never adopted because your peers didn't recognize its value? Storytelling is a powerful, analytical approach to frame and deliver a message. Whether delivered verbally in a meeting, documented in a report or built into a presentation, it provides a robust approach that's critical in situations where the stakes are high. It enables you to convey a complex idea quickly, win the acceptance of others, speed-up decision making and demonstrate your contributions as a thought leader."--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction

Storytelling requires a different approach in business

A methodology based on seven logical steps

Chapter one Defining the vision

Six things to consider when defining a vision for your story

Some examples of vision statements

Chapter summary

Next steps

Chapter two Understanding your audience

The three preparation activities required to profile an audience

Basic preparation addresses the "must-knows"

Adapting basic preparation to an internal audience

Detailed preparation provides a more in-depth understanding

Stakeholder profiling homes in on the interests of individuals

Leverage both internal and external resources when collecting information

Consolidate the information gathered into a template or repository

Case study: SmartStream

Basic preparation

Detailed preparation

Stakeholder profiling

Putting your audience understanding to work

Experience from the field

Chapter three Framing the problem

What is a logic tree?

Step 1: Building the logic tree

Step 2: Using the logic tree in a co-creation session

The meeting conclusion

Practical tips for running a co-creation session

Chapter four Constructing a story framework

Building logical arguments: deductive and inductive methods

A deductive argument embodies horizontal logic

The number of premises in the argument can vary

Two safety tests can be used to verify the strength of a deductive argument

The inductive argument embodies vertical logic

An inductive argument is easier to defend, making it useful at the detailed level

The inductive method can support both solid and subjective information.

Order the supporting reasons by priority

Inductive arguments can be used to rationalize pros and cons

The methods can be combined to build the framework of a story

Building a story for the SmartStream case

The story blueprint plays an important role

In some cases, an inductive argument can be used as the key argument

Presenting the story verbally, in a conversation or meeting

Conclusion first or conclusion last?

Checkpoints keep you in synch with your audience

Try to secure acceptance at each stage

Anticipate likely questions and be ready to answer them

Translating the blueprint into a document

The executive summary

Chapters and sub-sections

Use meaningful titles

Employ an approachable writing style

Translating the blueprint into a presentation

Design effective presentation slides

The content of a slide represents a hierarchy of information

Titles play an important role in presentations

The title of the agenda slide requires particular consideration

Busy slides are a distraction to your audience

Apply a consistent template and branding guide

Use animations wisely

Case study: Jensen's presentation to SmartStream

Notes

Chapter five Preparing an engaging delivery

Part 1: Mastering the five presentation phases

Opening words set the tone of your delivery

A well-crafted speaker introduction wins the listening ear of your audience

Objective

Tangible

Relevant

Concise

A good topic introduction presents a value proposition to the audience

The main body follows the structure of your story blueprint

Closing words are often what people remember the most

Part 2: Linguistic structures: metaphors, analogies, and anecdotes

Metaphors

Analogies.

Anecdotes and personal examples

Part 3: The underlying science of neurochemicals

Dopamine

Oxytocin

Endorphin

Cortisol

Adrenaline

Use neurochemical releases wisely in the narrative

Emotional triggers play an important role in stories

Part 4: Descriptive detail and the role of characters in a story

Descriptive detail activates the visualization engine

Use a descriptive starting point to set the scene

Appeal to the five senses when describing a situation

Emphatic vocabulary can be used to increase momentum

Personalization brings your message home

Characters can play an important role in stories

Part 5: Interaction and navigation can be essential in achieving your intended outcome

The cornerstones of an interaction approach can be planned in advance

Interaction is possible in many forms

In some cases, an alternative navigation approach may be required

Chapter six Visualizing data

The visualization system hinges on three types of memory

The iconic memory is fast-moving, but instantaneous

The working memory is where all the work is done

The long-term memory is where decisions are made, and where commitment is secured

Memory has an important impact on data visualization

Select the right type of chart for the right message

Big number charts "hero" the number

Comparison charts allow visual comparison between one or more data sets

Relationship charts illustrate connections and correlations

The scatterplot

Distribution charts draw attention to trends and outliers

Composition charts show the parts of a whole

The stacked column chart

The stacked area chart

The pie chart

Pre-attentive attributes accelerate audience interpretation

Think about the data-ink ratio on a chart.

Other considerations when visualizing data

Charts need strong titles

Use a legend, or use labels?

Two dimensions usually work better than three

Avoid red and green colors on the same chart

Busy matrices quickly overload the working memory

Chapter seven Delivering the story

Essential skills for a successful delivery

The mechanics of effective presentation

Vocal modulation is an essential skill

Smooth question handling commands a high degree of credibility

Rehearsals can play an important role

Virtual settings require a degree of adaptation

Recommendation first or last?

Check points are important during the delivery

Anticipation of likely questions and any required support material

Delivering the final presentation to SmartStream

Challenging situations when delivering a story

Continuous interruptions from the audience

Reacting to strong disagreement

A conflict between two audience participants

Hostile objections and political agendas

Master a robust set of presentation mechanics

When delivering the story, take your audience on a journey

Be aware of common challenges and strategies for handling them

Completion checklist

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Includes index.

ISBN:

9781394234585

1394234589

9781394234592

1394234597

OCLC:

1405846011