Business of Story #462: How to Replace Mind-Numbing Business Rhetoric With Inspiring Storytelling
May 6, 2024
Legendary Hollywood screenwriting coach Robert McKee shares insights on replacing business rhetoric with storytelling in B2B communication. Topics include the power of narrative, using storytelling to engage and persuade, exploring historical roots of communication, and mastering the art of persuasion through storytelling in business.
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Seminar To Living-Room Interview
- Park Howell recounts attending Robert McKee's seminar and later interviewing him at his Connecticut home.
- The encounter launched Park's podcast and gave him formative lessons about storytelling performance and rigor.
Casting Himself In Adaptation
- McKee describes becoming a character in Charlie Kaufman's film Adaptation and insisting on casting Brian Cox.
- He accepted being the 'heavy' but negotiated a redeeming scene and casting control, which he feels worked well.
Stories Use Causal Not Inductive Logic
- McKee contrasts inductive rhetoric (PowerPoint) with story's causal logic and says rhetoric doesn't match how minds remember.
- He argues stories organize facts causally so audiences engage and act, unlike dry proofs.