Storytelling: What Works and What Doesn't by Steve Adubato, Ph.D.

I was watching Regis Philbin on television recently. Regis is usually a great communicator who engages his audience with self-deprecating humor and anecdotes about his every day life. Except this particular morning, Regis was telling a story about a dinner reception with Walter Cronkite and other media luminaries. The only problem was, Regis’ story went on forever, and I couldn’t figure out what the point was. Further, he wasn’t getting much reaction from the 200 people in the studio audience, much less those at home. Simply put, Regis’ story fell flat. It didn’t make the connection. This only proves that even the best storytellers sometimes miss the mark.

So why do certain stories connect and others don’t? Consider the following:

--Don’t tell a story that has no point. Sometimes people get caught up in the enthusiasm of telling a story. The problem is, they forget that without a point, all the enthusiasm in the world means nothing. You must first figure out what your message or point is and then develop stories or anecdotes that bring the story to life.

--Some stories are just too long. Not every detail of the story is necessary to getting your point across. It’s called minutia. My rule is, if your story goes on for more than two minutes, you have a problem. Most really good anecdotes can be told in a minute or less. You’ve got to be a great storyteller if you are going to go longer than that.

--When telling a story, be aware of the references you make to people’s names, instances, or places. Recently I was telling a story to a media class I was teaching at a local university. The story was about prominent whistle blowers in Washington. I made reference to “John Dean and Watergate.” I assumed, incorrectly, that most of the students understood exactly what I meant. But when I stopped and asked how many people knew who John Dean was, less than ten hands went up. (Some thought he was related to Howard Dean.) When telling a story, know your audience and their knowledge base. If your not sure that they’re not sure, play it safe and clarify it.

--One of the worst mistakes storytellers make is to tell someone else’s story. We’ve all seen it. The speaker isn’t that familiar with the story. He has trouble getting through it and makes lots of mistakes regarding certain facts and has to correct himself. Forget it. You’ve killed the story. The best story is YOUR story.

--Don’t make up stories, unless you are going to tell your audience the story is made up. It’s okay to embellish a little bit, but watch that, too. In talking about the danger of “data dumps,” I make reference to a client who had a PowerPoint presentation of “111 slides.” The fact is, I’m not sure it was exactly 111, it might have been 105. But 111 sounds better. This kind of embellishment is okay, just don’t double the number.

--When telling a story, read your audience. Watch their verbal and non-verbal reactions. If you see you are losing them, cut the story short, pick up the pace or do something different. Just don’t stick with the story because it worked in another setting. Great storytellers are flexible and always stay in the moment.

--The best themes for stories involve successes or failures in your life or business, family issues, risks that you’ve taken, and events that have had a profound impact on you. Stories that involve these common themes usually have a powerful effect on your audience.

What story works best for you in your presentations? Write to me.

Dr. Steve Adubato coaches and speaks on the subjects of communication and leadership and is the author of the book "Speak from the Heart." Write to him at The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102, or click here to contact him through this web site.