Storytelling for innovation
For a long time I discounted the value of storytelling.
I kept on hearing about it from everyone, but it did not seem to be something that was worth all the efforts and resources that were put into it. This all changed as I started to notice how storytelling changed the life of some of patients. I started to notice that patients that were able to tell redemption stories about there disease were happier, did better and even lived longer than patients who did not tell those stories about their experience. This was true even when patients had a similar experienced but some were able to just tell a different story about their experience. This made me very interested in the power of storytelling and I started to notice it everywhere. All of the most successful movements have a great story that allows people to rally around the torch bearer and do what appears to be an impossible task.
In a way we are all storytellers. It is the one of the most important traits of human beings. It allows us to band together and do seemingly impossible things. It allows us to make sense of the world, our place in it and why things happen the way they do. The stories we tell about our lives reveal how we understand ourselves and how we interpret the way our lives have unfolded. Stories help us make sense of our experience and in doing so build meaning for our lives. We are are constantly taking pieces of information and adding layers of meaning to them.
So what makes a great story:
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“Stories have to come from scars not wounds” They should have settled in the storytellers mind so he/she can reflect on the experience. The great stories are real. In storytelling for innovation you have to appeal to emotions. There can be opposing emotions that drive a story. For example, fear (what could happen if we do not do this) and inspiration ( imagine if this innovation can happen). Best stories take people on an emotional journey.
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Best stories are defined by growth, communion, and agency. Always put the audience first. The best stories have real and personal stories that connect with the audience.
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The best storytellers often have an immense sense of curiosity about the human emotion. Great writers are often the best students of human nature.
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The storyteller bring his/her unique abilities and experiences in the narrative. It allows the audience to immediately connect with the story.
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The great story allows your audience to imagine themselves in the narrative. It allows an emotional connection that otherwise would not be possible.
As with all things, best stories are developed through rapid prototyping and getting feedback form the audience. The best stories evolve through many different iteration cycles.
