When I joined Toastmasters I thought that participating would be a good way to develop my presentation skills: be less nervous in front of a group, think more clearly on my feet, not stare at my notes. What I came to realize is that all of those behaviors are mitigated by telling a story. And fortunately for me, I also discovered that I am a natural storyteller.
When I’m telling a story I don’t need to rely on notes; I am more animated and less nervous; my audience listens more closely. This is why storytelling is at the heart of persuasive speaking. Stories build trust, and when trust exists people are more open to hearing suggestions, trying new methods, and making changes.
Some of the people I’ve mentored ask me where I get ideas for speech topics. Similar to the response in this clip–a portrayal of Robert McKee’s “Story Seminar” in the film Adaptation–I tend to find stories everywhere. I’m not quite as intense about it, nor am I so focused on the negative, but I do feel passionately that life is full of stories.
[WARNING: Harsh language]
I didn’t know it the first (several) times I watched this film (It’s one of my absolute favorites!), but Robert McKee is a real person, who really runs a workshop called “Story Seminar”. He is “the most sought-after screenwriting lecturer in the world.” McKee’s focus on the principles of storytelling has inspired thousands of the most successful screenwriters, directors and producers, including over 60 Academy Award Winners, 200 Emmy Award Winners, and 1,000 Emmy Award nominees. (mckeestory.com)
What McKee knows is that stories are all around us, and the aim of his work is to help writers discover the ones that are important to them. As McKee says in his book Story, “No matter who your heroes may be–[Woody Allen, Quentin Terantino, Nora Ephron]–you admire them because they’re unique. Each has stepped out of the crowd because he/she selects a content like no one else, designs a form like no one else, combining the two into a style unmistakably their own.” (2006)
The way we perceive our experiences, the way we integrate them into who we are, and the way we recount them is what makes us unique. The stories we tell define the lives we live.