Thursday, March 12, 2009

Inspiring high performance

Last time w talked about the power of storytelling.
Here are five more ways stories motivate other people.
Suzanne Bates outlines them in "Motivate Like a CEO".
1. Stories inspire high performance.
Tell colleagues about someone who achieved a lofty goal.
This starts them thinking about what they might do.
Recognition may be the only reward — but it’s a big reward.
2. Stories help us remember the point.
A good story makes an indelible impression in our brains.
If your story is good, we will remember your point.
3. Friends and colleagues learn from our stories.
They appreciate that there is a "lesson" in these stories.
They like hearing your stories and the lessons they contain.
4. Stories make your message "sticky".
They are not easily forgotten. Your lesson can be easily recalled.
5. Stories open minds and hearts.
Memorable stories appeal to your audience's feelings.
The best motivational stories are about achieving goals.
Overcoming challenges. Persevering. Discovering what is possible.
Helping others. Making our world a far better place.
In her book (McGraw Hill), Suzanne Bates writes:
"Stories such as these are what audiences long to hear."
We’ll talk more about stories next week.
Meantime, for more on finding your purpose, please click here.

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