Few business communicators know how to use stories effectively whether it’s in a formal presentation, a conversation, or in an email.

Those who can use stories effectively stand out dramatically against those who can’t.

Why? Because people love stories. Moviemaking is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are ten times as many fiction books published as non-fiction books. The human brain lights up when you start to tell a well crafted story.

Sometimes the word “Storytelling” has been used in a derogatory sense to mean fabricating events to mislead people or a long winded interpretation of something.

However, here I mean a way of making business or educational communication more engaging and understandable.

For example:

• a case study that illustrates a concept
• a metaphor or comparison
• a short anecdote
• an mythological teaching story
• an incident from someone’s life that highlights a point you want to make

Most presenters need more of these, but either can’t think of any to tell or lack the skills to delivery them well. Take the quick quiz below to assess your storytelling ability.

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Storytelling in Business – free webinar

Wed. April 18, 2012 at 6 pm Pacific

For more info and to register: http://www.learnitlive.com/class/1850/Storytelling-in-Business

In the last 15 years of coaching presenters, speakers, trainers and educators, I have often heard people say they have no sense of humor because they cannot tell jokes. Telling jokes is only one of a hundred different ways to elicit laughter from people. Each person has a different style of humor. The trick is to find your style and build on your innate strengths.

For example, are you the kind of person who can keep people riveted while telling a story about your latest trip to the grocery store, yet always blow the timing on a joke? Perhaps you like to clown around being playful, but get lost trying to do witty one-liners?

Watch this video and do the process to determine your style. For a more detailed personality quiz, click on the link below. These humor styles are, of course, highly generalized. Most people have qualities of more than one style, or will tend to switch from one style to the other depending on their environment. Use this information as a place to start. If you begin with humor that suits your personality style, you will have more success than if you try something too foreign right from the start.

Once you experience success in your dominant style, you can expand your skills to include different types of humor to appeal to different types of people.

Click on this link to get your free copy of the Humor Personality Style Inventory

http://www.speakersuccessu.com

1. Workplace Creativity Contest: Enter to win one free spot in my 4 day retreat at Hollyhock, books, CD’s and other great prizes.

Email us a description of an innovative way you do your work, creative décor, a fun at work activity, or anything that has helped inspire more creativity in your workplace. Entries must be received by July 31st, 2009. Email to carla@carlarieger.com

2. Vancouver Public Library: I will be doing a free public event at the downtown library on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 (7:30-9:30 pm). It is an author reading from my new book http://www.thechangeartistbook.com

3. Hollyhock Retreat – 4 days of making the impossible possible with me on Cortes Island, B.C. (Oct. 1-4, 2009), in one of the most beautiful and nurturing places on earth.

More information about  my events can be found at this link: http://www.thechangeartistbook.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=7

I thought you might like to know that I will be leading 3 events open to the public this year. I have upcoming events in Edmonton, Canada in April,  Cortes Island, BC, Canada in October, and Winnipeg in May.

See below for more details and also feel free to forward this information onto your networks:

During this entertaining and practical seminar you will be introduced to Carla Rieger’s tools for staying creatively adapted in uncertain times. You will also be introduced to her latest book in which she outlines these habits in a compelling story format.
$25 more than 2 weeks in advance, $40 at the door. $20 per person for groups of 6 or more (plus one free ticket).

Just before a recent presentation in Baltimore, my PowerPoint Slide Show would not appear on the screen, no matter what the A/V tech person tried. The meeting planner and I both threw our arms up and yelled out “Excellent!” which amused the technician enough that he went on a coffee break.

This opened up my brain capacity enough to re-think how to deliver the presentation without the slides (with only 5 minutes to spare). However, I needed something more so that I would be my best self for the incoming attendees. So I tried the Sedona Method which is a process taught by a colleague named Hale Dwoskin. It is a simple 4 step inquiry.

1.    I became aware of any negative feelings (I noticed annoyance and anxiety).
2.    I asked myself if I could let those feelings go (I answered–yes, I could).
3.    I asked myself if I would let them go (I answered–yes, I would).
4.    I asked myself when I would let them go (I answered–now).

Strangely enough all the negativity dissolved and I presented without my slides and felt both fine and confident about it. I know this seems far too simple to actually work, but you would be surprised.

If you have a story or tip about how you re-invented yourself after a crises, feel free to let us know. We are always looking for great case studies.