From Paul Smith's book, Lead With A Story, here are the 10 reasons for embracing storytelling as a business tool:
- Storytelling is simple
- Storytelling is timeless
- Stories are demographic-proof
- Stories are contagious
- Stories are easier to remember
- Stories inspire
- Stories appeal to all types of learners
- Stories fit better where most of the learning happens in the workplace
- Stories put the listener in a mental learning mode
- Telling stories shows respect for the audience
Smith goes on to say that:
- you don't need a degree in English to tell a story
- stories can spread like wildfire
- lessons from a story are remembered more accurately, and for far longer, than learning derived from facts
- stories spark curiosity and interest rather than the urge to evaluate or criticize
- stories get your message across, without arrogantly telling listeners what to think or do
