Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

168. How Story Can Change Everything in Your Career

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Nov 12, 2024

Matthew Dicks, a best-selling novelist and storytelling coach, shares his insights on the art of storytelling in business communication. He believes that narratives can transform ordinary messages into memorable experiences. Dicks emphasizes practical techniques for crafting compelling stories, from setting scenes to creating suspense. He also discusses the importance of reflection in uncovering everyday tales, noting that becoming a better storyteller can elevate one's career and make leaders more engaging.

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INSIGHT

Storytelling Makes You Memorable

Most business communication is forgettable, but stories make you memorable.
Sharing stories about your product or company makes you interesting and engaging.

ADVICE

Invest in Storytelling

Improve storytelling; it's a cost-effective way to enhance communication.
Unlike physical investments, storytelling requires skill development, not monetary investment.

INSIGHT

Stories Are About Change

Good stories are about a single moment of change.
Focus on the change, not just chronological events, to make your story impactful.

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Make your message memorable.

“Immediately forgettable” — that’s how Matthew Dicks describes most of the business communication that he encounters. If you want to be remembered, he says, it’s time to tell stories.

A veteran elementary school teacher, storytelling coach, and best-selling author, Dicks knows how the right narrative can transform mundane messages into stories that stick. In his book, Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling, he explores how to capture and hold an audience’s attention, which is particularly critical for business leaders. "When we tell a story about a product or service, the people we work with, our company, we become memorable and interesting and entertaining in a way that doesn't happen very often in business," he says.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Dicks and host Matt Abrahams discuss practical techniques for crafting compelling narratives, from setting a scene to creating suspense. “Don’t build a building. Don’t buy a machine,” he says. Becoming a better storyteller is one of the most effective ways to level up. “It’s a crazy thing for businesses,” he says.

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:42) - Why Storytelling Matters in Business
(03:18) - The Essence of a Good Story
(05:19) - Become a Better Storyteller
(06:59) - Using Suspense in Stories
(09:05) - Suspense in Business Communication
(11:07) - Structuring Stories Like Scenes
(13:16) - Relating Stories to Life
(15:43) - Homework for Life
(18:23) - Storytelling Delivery
(19:30) - The Final Three Questions
(23:35) - Conclusion

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