I enrolled in an audio storytelling class the summer before my junior year of college. Did I know what the act of audio storytelling entailed? No. Did I know that I would be chatting intimately with strangers later that year? No. But luckily, I signed up for the course anyway. About a year ago, StoryCorps founder Dave Isay released his TED Talk titled, “Everyone around you has a story the world needs to hear.” His talk reminded me of one of the many lessons I learned through completing 2 audio storytelling classes in college. One of the greatest pieces of advice I have ever received is to look for stories everywhere because everyone has a story to tell. And presenters are in a prime position to be the conduit for those messages and tell those stories. If you haven’t seen the talk, watch below!
Here are 3 things I took away from his talk:
Storytelling Lesson #1: Always keep your internal microphone on
Isay discusses his organization’s purpose in the TED Talk. StoryCorps was built on the premise of listening more and talking less; of having intimate conversations with strangers; of giving people – all people – the ability to have their story be heard. But the capture of story is much more than listening while one person is talking, or a few people are talking. It involves always keeping that internal microphone on during everyday conversations. From the time you get out of bed to the time you lay back down for the evening. In Reality Radio: Telling True Stories in Sound, the Kitchen Sisters reveal their storytelling secret of keeping their microphones on throughout the entire interview session – not turning it off before shutting the door. Apply this tactic to your own lives and remain aware of your surroundings. You never know what noise you might pick up.
Source: Reality Radio: Telling True Stories in Sound
Storytelling Lesson #2 Empower yourself to explore the unknown
In his TED Talk, Dave describes how a microphone was his backstage pass to every concert imaginable. He viewed the opportunity to interview people from a variety of backgrounds and stations in life as a privilege, not as an obligation. Through whatever means necessary, equip yourself with the tools to search for the stories your presentation needs. Enhance your storytelling by allowing yourself to converse with people you might not converse with on a daily basis. Talk to the taxi cab driver on your way to the office. Ask the barista at your local coffee shop about her weekend next Monday. Not only will you pick up themes and elements to include in your presentation storytelling, but you will also enrich your life as well as the lives of others by showing that you care.
Storytelling Lesson #3: Tell the story rarely told
Whether it involves approaching your presentation topic from a different angle, putting a fresh perspective on it, or literally telling a story that your brand, company, or organization might not typically tell, getting new content and relaying new themes is an important storytelling measure to take in your presentations. At the conclusion of his TED Talk, Dave reminisces on his journey with StoryCorps:
“Every day, people come up to me and say, “I wish I had interviewed my father or my grandmother or my brother, but I waited too long.” Now, no one has to wait anymore. At this moment, when so much of how we communicate is fleeting and inconsequential, join us in creating this digital archive of conversations that are enduring and important.” – Dave Isay, “Everyone around you has a story the world needs to hear”
Source: Reality Radio: Telling True Stories in Sound
Storytelling is all about communicating a message in the most compelling and clear way you can. Dave’s TED Talk outlined some of the many positive results a story can create. Employ the 3 strategies above in your presentations to set yourself from the rest in your field or industry. To find more inspiring and interesting TED Talks, review these articles:
Commonality in a TED Talk: “The shared experience of absurdity”
Presentation of Possibility: An Analysis of Skylar Tibbit’s TED Talk
Storytelling Lessons of Brian Little’s “The puzzle of personality”
