Michael F. Schein, founder of MicroFame Media and author of The Hype Handbook, dives into the art of attracting attention through strategic storytelling. He redefines hype, highlighting its emotional engagement potential and lessons from historical figures like the Magi. Schein discusses crafting personal narratives that resonate with audiences, emphasizing the importance of authenticity. He also explores the dual role of narrative elements and the power of theatricality in personal branding, offering insights on how hype can effectively influence leadership.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
The Magi's Miraculous Power
The Magi, an ancient tribe, gained power by predicting outcomes, even when wrong.
This demonstrates humanity's desire for external symbols to understand a chaotic universe.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Control Your Narrative
Treat your narrative elements like faders on a mixing board.
Emphasize strengths and downplay weaknesses to craft a persuasive story.
question_answer ANECDOTE
A Noisy Narrative
Dave Stachowiak learned the importance of refining his narrative early in his career.
A colleague advised him to focus his story and avoid overwhelming the listener with too much information.
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Michael F. Schein: The Hype Handbook
Michael F. Schein is the founder and president of MicroFame Media, a marketing agency that specializes in making ideabased companies famous in their industries. His writing has appeared in Fortune, Forbes, Inc., Psychology Today, and Huffington Post, and he is a speaker for international audiences spanning from the US to China. He is also the creator of the popular Hype Book Club, which provides regular recommendations of books about hype artists and hype strategies.
Michael is the author of The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World's Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers*.
In this conversation, Michael and I explore his research on hype and how we can benefit from lessons throughout the history of human influence. We examine what we can learn from both positive and negative examples to discover how to brand ourselves better. Michael then invites us to frame the messaging about our own work to align with these human tendencies though a lens of genuine care and authenticity.
Key Points
We've evolved through history to seek guidance from those who appear miraculous.
Surprise and worthiness are two indicators of what people perceive as miraculous vs. simply chance.
The elements of your narrative are faders on a mixing board. Raise and lower different elements of the story to get the right mix.
Make a list of strengths and weaknesses and don’t mention your weaknesses for a week.
Reframe how some of your weakness might be strengths.
Develop your story using the elements of theatre.
Interview Notes
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