Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

How to tell better stories | Matthew Dicks (Storyworthy)

Dec 15, 2023

Matthew Dicks, best-selling author and expert in storytelling, shares techniques for effective storytelling, including starting every story at the end, building a vault of stories for business situations, and being funnier. He also discusses the power of saying yes, dealing with nervousness in public speaking, and the benefits of a positive mindset.

01:42:57

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Episode guests

Matthew Dicks

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Quick takeaways

Storytelling is essential in business communication to stand out and be memorable.

Personal stories and experiences can humanize storytelling and make a stronger connection with the audience.

Incorporating stakes, surprise, suspense, and humor can captivate listeners and make storytelling more compelling.

Storytelling in business brings benefits like differentiation, deeper audience connection, and enhanced retention of key messages.

Deep dives

The Importance of Storytelling in Business

Storytelling is a crucial aspect of business communication, as it helps individuals and companies stand out and be memorable. Without engaging storytelling, business communication tends to be forgettable and lacking impact. By incorporating storytelling into presentations, pitches, and conversations, individuals can connect with their audience on a deeper level, evoke emotion, and effectively convey key messages. Stories with stakes, surprises, suspense, and humor, when strategically used, can captivate listeners and make the information more memorable and impactful.

Collect Stories About Your Life

02:02

The Importance of Stakes in Storytelling

01:52

The Dinner Test: how to start and tell the story right

02:15

using a personal interest inventory to make connections in the corporate world

02:17

Introduction

4min

The Power of Moments of Transformation in Storytelling

18min

Starting with Stakes

11min

The Power of Storytelling in Business

18min

Strategies for Adding Humor to Business Storytelling

6min

Using Humor and Storytelling in Business

32min

Facing Fear and Finding Treasure

6min

The Power of a Positive Mindset

5min

Finding and Working with Matthew Dicks

2min

Matthew Dicks is a best-selling author, columnist, blogger, podcaster, playwright, and teacher. He wrote my all-time favorite book on storytelling, Storyworthy. He is an elementary school teacher by day and by night teaches storytelling and public speaking to individuals, corporations, universities, religious institutions, and school districts around the world. He’s taught storytelling at Yale, MIT, Harvard, and Purdue, along with Amazon, Salesforce, Slack, Lego, and others. In this conversation, Matthew shares insights and techniques for effective storytelling, including:

• The benefits of good storytelling in business

• The five-second moment and why it’s so important

• Why you should start every story at the end

• How to build a vault of stories that can be deployed in business situations

• Tips on how to be funnier

• His life-changing “Homework for Life” practice

• Advice for dealing with nervousness in public speaking

• The power of saying yes

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Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-tell-better-stories-matthew

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Where to find Matthew Dicks:

• Website: https://matthewdicks.com/

• X: https://twitter.com/MatthewDicks

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-dicks-84a95711/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4K0fcEJkzJLso5h6CN00LQ

• Storyworthy: https://www.storyworthymd.com/

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Where to find Lenny:

• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com

• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/

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In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Matthew’s background

(04:27) The five-second moment

(10:29) Knowing the ending

(14:28) The importance of including a transformation

(15:59) The dinner test

(18:19) You can’t tell someone else’s story

(20:24) Vacation stories

(23:14) Adding stakes to the story

(25:12) The power of surprise

(29:20) The benefits of storytelling in business

(32:20) An example of adding stakes

(34:02) Storytelling in the workplace

(44:29) Using personal inventory to make stories relatable

(48:46) Four ways to keep people listening

(50:52) Using humor in business storytelling

(53:09) Advice for adding humor

(58:43) An example of how storytelling helped a biotech company sell product

(1:02:06) Advice for people who don’t want to become storytellers

(1:06:35) The power of “Homework for Life”

(01:15:26) Practical tips for starting Homework for Life

(01:19:28) Dealing with nervousness in public speaking

(01:24:42) Preparing for a talk or presentation

(01:25:24) The power of saying yes

(01:30:55) Lightning round

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Referenced:

• How ‘Star Wars’ answers our biggest religious questions: https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/04/21/how-star-wars-answers-our-biggest-religious-questions/

• When Harry Met Sally on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/When-Harry-Sally-Billy-Crystal/dp/B001Q556QG

• Persuasive communication and managing up | Wes Kao (Maven, Seth Godin, Section4): https://www.lennyspodcast.com/persuasive-communication-and-managing-up-wes-kao-maven-seth-godin-section4/

• Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 Tenets of Storytelling: https://www.themarginalian.org/2012/04/03/kurt-vonnegut-on-writing-stories/

• Vertigo on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/Vertigo-James-Stewart/dp/B000I9YLXU

• Ocean’s Eleven on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/Oceans-Eleven-George-Clooney/dp/B001EBV0JE

• David Mamet | JCCSF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZOT1jCHfhI

• Pulp Fiction on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/Pulp-Fiction-John-Travolta/dp/B005T3AX6E

• Charity Thief: Boston Moth StorySLAM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjrlGhAB4a4

• Boris Levin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boris-levin-ab95404/

• Masha Reutovski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/masha-reutovski/

• Top Three Steve Jobs Speeches: https://www.pcworld.com/article/482269/top_three_steve_jobs_speeches.html

• The Javits Center: https://www.javitscenter.com/

• Stranger Things on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80057281

• 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/64LU4c1nfjz1t4VnGhagcg

• Classic Sesame Street—one of these things is not like the other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCxrkl2igGY

• Homework for Life: https://matthewdicks.com/homework-for-life/

• Homework for Life | Matthew Dicks | TEDxBerkshires: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7p329Z8MD0

• Seth Meyers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_Meyers

• David Sedaris on MasterClass: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/david-sedaris-teaches-storytelling-and-humor

• Happy-Go-Lucky: https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Go-Lucky-David-Sedaris/dp/0316392456

• A life of yes: Matthew Dicks at TEDxSomerville: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3TaQFcaMk4

• New York Comedy Festival: https://nycomedyfestival.com/

• In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Sea-Tragedy-Whaleship-Essex/dp/0141001828

• The Tale of Despereaux: https://www.amazon.com/Tale-Despereaux-Being-Princess-Thread/dp/0763680893

• I’ll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood: https://www.amazon.com/Ill-Show-Myself-Out-Motherhood/dp/0062981595

• You’ll Grow Out of It: https://www.amazon.com/Youll-Grow-Out-Jessi-Klein/dp/1455531200

• David Sedaris books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/David-Sedaris/author/B000AQ3YUW

• Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere: https://www.amazon.com/Sure-Ill-Join-Your-Cult/dp/1982168560

• The Last of Us on HBO: https://www.hbo.com/the-last-of-us

• Barbie: https://www.barbie-themovie.com/

• Krinner tree genie on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Krinner-Genie-Christmas-Stand-Small-Green/dp/B081D78FTP

• Power Pod: https://powerpodshop.com/

• Nostalgia hotdog toaster: https://www.amazon.com/Nostalgia-HDT600RETRORED-Pop-Up-Toaster-Retro/dp/B005Q8X6IO

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Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.

—

Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.

Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe

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Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

How to tell better stories | Matthew Dicks (Storyworthy)

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Importance of Storytelling in Business

Becoming a Better Storyteller in Business

The Power of Stakes, Surprise, Suspense, and Humor

Using Storytelling in Business

The power of humor and differentiation

Using nostalgia in business storytelling

The importance of storytelling in business presentations

The transformative power of homework for life

Collect Stories About Your Life

The Importance of Stakes in Storytelling

The Dinner Test: how to start and tell the story right

using a personal interest inventory to make connections in the corporate world

Get the Snipd
podcast app

AI-powered
podcast player

Discover
highlights

Save any
moment

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Discover
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Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

How to tell better stories | Matthew Dicks (Storyworthy)

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Importance of Storytelling in Business

Becoming a Better Storyteller in Business

The Power of Stakes, Surprise, Suspense, and Humor

Using Storytelling in Business

The power of humor and differentiation

Using nostalgia in business storytelling

The importance of storytelling in business presentations

The transformative power of homework for life

Collect Stories About Your Life

The Importance of Stakes in Storytelling

The Dinner Test: how to start and tell the story right

using a personal interest inventory to make connections in the corporate world

Get the Snipdpodcast app

AI-poweredpodcast player

Discoverhighlights

Save anymoment

Share& Export

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Discoverhighlights

Get the Snipd
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