I stumbled onto this video online. Please don’t ask me how. I just stumble from one link to the other and down the rabbit hole. Most often, it is a wild goose chase, but sometimes, it lands me on something interesting.
This is a video of a tour guide who runs a website called beabetterguide.com. A resource for tour guides across the world to hone the skills of their trade. In this video he talks about the key elements of storytelling and a few DO’s and DON’T. I was amazed at how much it resonated with everything I preach.
Very humbling but also very encouraging. Humbling because it reminds me that what I teach is not rocket science but common sense. Encouraging because it is a reminder to everyone that it is easy and intuitive.
The only quarrel I have with this video is the same as the one I have for several thousand articles that talk about the power of storytelling but don’t tell a story. I wish he had shared the story he told the biking tour party of the Battle of Alesia, where Julius Ceaser’s army defeated the united armies of the Gauls. This is considered one of Caesar’s greatest military achievements. It would be great to hear how he put this preaching into practice. (I have written to him. If he does share his story, I will post it here).
Here are the AWESOME takeaways from his video:-
FOCUS ON FOUR THINGS
- What is your message?
- Who is your audience?
- Show, don’t tell
- Practice
DON’T
-overwhelm your story with unnecessary details.
-make it too long…
-tell a story without tension, a problem or challenge
-forget to resolve that tension
DO
-Use dialogue whenever possible
(i.e. He said, she replied, etc.)
-Have a beginning, middle and end
-Keep eye contact with your audience
-Always describe the setting (at least one sentence)
where your story happens
-Incorporate pauses, pace your story
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/3vsyCTA
