Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

168. How Story Can Change Everything in Your Career


Listen Later

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.

Episode Reference Links:

  • Matthew Dicks
  • Matthew’s Book: Storyworthy 
  • Ep.50 Telling Good Stories: How to Use the Elements of Narrative to Keep Listeners Engaged
  • Ep.47 Quick Thinks: How to Use Storytelling to Be a Better Founder  


Connect:

  • Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
  • Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
  • Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
  • Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
  • Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
  • Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn


Chapters:

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (02:25) - Why Storytelling Matters in Business
  • (04:01) - The Essence of a Good Story
  • (06:02) - Become a Better Storyteller
  • (07:42) - Using Suspense in Stories
  • (09:48) - Suspense in Business Communication
  • (11:50) - Structuring Stories Like Scenes
  • (13:59) - Relating Stories to Life
  • (16:26) - Homework for Life
  • (19:06) - Storytelling Delivery
  • (21:27) - The Final Three Questions
  • (25:32) - Conclusion

  •  ********
    Thank you to our sponsors.
     These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

    Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart

    Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. 

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication TechniquesBy Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart

    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7

    4.7

    710 ratings


    More shows like Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

    View all
    TED Talks Daily by TED

    TED Talks Daily

    11,152 Listeners

    The McKinsey Podcast by McKinsey & Company

    The McKinsey Podcast

    400 Listeners

    The Look & Sound of Leadership by Essential Communications - Tom Henschel

    The Look & Sound of Leadership

    1,163 Listeners

    Coaching for Leaders by Dave Stachowiak

    Coaching for Leaders

    1,467 Listeners

    HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

    HBR IdeaCast

    176 Listeners

    All Ears English Podcast by Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan

    All Ears English Podcast

    2,256 Listeners

    TED Business by TED

    TED Business

    1,100 Listeners

    Cold Call by HBR Presents / Brian Kenny

    Cold Call

    194 Listeners

    After Hours by TED Audio Collective / Youngme Moon, Mihir Desai, & Felix Oberholzer-Gee

    After Hours

    1,250 Listeners

    Inside the Strategy Room by McKinsey & Company

    Inside the Strategy Room

    176 Listeners

    Confident Business English by Anna Connelly

    Confident Business English

    152 Listeners

    How to Be a Better Human by TED

    How to Be a Better Human

    1,413 Listeners

    Coaching Real Leaders by Harvard Business Review / Muriel Wilkins

    Coaching Real Leaders

    668 Listeners

    Business English from All Ears English by Lindsay McMahon

    Business English from All Ears English

    86 Listeners

    HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

    HBR On Leadership

    174 Listeners