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Project Mgmt Story Telling

Whats Your Story?

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Overview
Good story telling can make you a much more effective Project Manager. This document offers
you a way to look at the stories you choose to tell and offer ways to make them work well as a
motivational tool.

Its not a rigorous process to be followed religiously every time you tell a story. Use it to think
a bit more deeply about one important story and refer back to it as needed for others. Its
simply food for thought that will hopefully make you a better communicator.

Whats the point?

Sometimes you feel like a story would be helpful, but youre not sure why. If you dont clarify your
purpose up front you might end up with a story that sort of fits - but not really. In the end, that could just
make things worse. So start by figuring out why a story might help.

Why are you telling a story? (a few possibilities)

To highlight a success that could be replicated in the future?
To give people an emotional tie to an important point or larger theme
To create greater understanding of complex relationships (perhaps everyone is missing the point
and you need to get them back on track)

So complete this sentence. The point of telling a story is...

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Choosing a story to tell

Logically, if you understand your purpose, then youll either know of a story or find one on the web that
suits your purpose. One you believe youve found one

Ask Y/N Why?

Yourself
Is this your Is it one that you are
story? comfortable telling? Does
it fit with the values that
people associate with you
(would it be weird for you
to tell this story?)
Is this their Is it appropriate for the
story? audience? Is it something
related to their lives and
interests? Is it one that
they would enjoy? (this
could involve some testing
with one or two people
first)
Is this Is it appropriate for the
story right time and place you are
for now? telling it? Sometimes its
easier to relate to if its
compatible with a current
event, the geographic area
you are in, or time of day
you are telling the story.
Will anyone Does it involve interesting,
care or memorable characters?
remember Can you ensure that you
it? develop the characters
enough in telling the story
that people care what
happens to them? Does the
story have repetitive
patterns that make it easier
to remember? Does it
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involve a resolution to a
conflict?

Tuning your story

If you want to go further, you can think about the following points as a way of fine-tuning your story.

1. Can you tell the story in just a few minutes?

2. Can you tell it with passion and energy?
3. Does the story make a single important point, versus trying to make several or leaving a lot open to
interpretation? What is that point?
4. Does the story have a complete plot with a beginning, middle and end? (some times story-tellers
start in the middle or leave the end open to interpretation)
5. Does the story appeal to the audience on an emotional level? How and why?
6. Can the audience picture the characters? (have you painted a visual image in their mind?)
7. Is it clear what actions you want the audience to take as a result of hearing the story? How should
they feel and what will they remember the most?
8. What questions do you wan them to ask as a result? (of you, of themselves, of others?)

Rating your story telling

If you want to look back on your performance and learn from it, think about the following.
1. Did you meet the expectations you laid out above? (look at each one independently)
2. Were you able to express yourself spontaneously? (feeling your way through concepts without
Delivering lines)
3. Would your audience be able to retell the story if they needed to? (extending the reach of the
lesson and your influence)
4. Did the audience feel like you cared about the story and characters?
5. How was the pace and length of the story?
6. If you used visual aids, did they complement or enhance the story?