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HOW TO TELL A STORY

WORKBOOK

HOW TO TELL A STORYJennifer Aaker | Stanford GSB

aaker@gsb.stanford.edu

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HOW TO TELL A STORY WORKBOOK

Table of Contents

DAY 1: IN THE BEGINNING (COME TO CLASS WITH EXERCISE 1-2 DONE)

DAY 2: THE HOW OF STORY (COME TO CLASS WITH EXERCISE 3-4 DONE)

BEFORE CLASS BEGINS - READ HOW TO TELL A STORY CASE A AND B

DAY 3: THE VISUAL STORY (COME TO CLASS WITH EXERCISE 5 DONE)

DAY 4: ROLE OF STORY IN BUSINESS (COME TO CLASS WITH EX 6-8 DONE)

DAY 5: THE END – TELLING THE STORES

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Stories told about you by a friend

1.

2.

3.

EXERCISE 1A : CREATING A PERSONAL STORY BANK

Stories told about you by colleagues

1.

2.

3.

Stories you tell about yourself

1.

2.

3.

To be done before 1st day of class

My colleague's story

To be completed before Day 1

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEONE FRAMEWORK FOR STORYTELLING

STORY = SITUATION/DESIRE + COMPLICATION/OBSTACLE + SOLUTION/OUTCOME

For each of the stories on Exercise 1, complete:

1. Title of story:

2. Situation/desire:

3. Complication/obstacle:

4. Solution/outcome:

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DON’T KNOW WHAT STORIES YOU TELL ABOUT YOURSELF?

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“Who I am” Story

Conveys who you are, what you stand for, why you are here, and hints at where you are going.

Goal: advocate for yourself. (Try mindmapping; next page).

FOUR STORIES YOU WILL TELL IN YOUR CAREER

“How We Are Different” Story

Illuminates uniqueness of company, allows you to stand out from competitors

Goal: advocate for your company.

“Vision” StoryShare vision for the future for company.

Goal: inspire. Get collection movement for the path forward

“Apology & Recovery” StoryCommunicate unfortunate news or mistake, and manages the damage that can result.

Goal: explain an important turning point and/or re-cultivate trust

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MindMapping the Story of your Career:

FOR “WHO I AM” STORY:

What is a mindmap anyway? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_mapSome online programs to help (http://www.wordle.net/ http://bubbl.us/)

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Pick 3 stories from Exercise 1. Below write a title for each of them. In bubble, write your ‘ah-ha’ (key message of story which illuminates the story’s relevance and importance)

1.

2.

3.

EXERCISE 2: THE “AHA’S”

To be completed before Day 1

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Share 3 stories with a partner in class (1 min each). Your partner will help you pick the story with the best potential to move forward. Criterion to be used:

1. Clear protagonist

2. Clear emotional hook

3. Interesting

4. Conflict

5. Meaning clear

6. Applicability in future (if only cocktail party)

EXERCISE 3: PICKING THE STORY

To be done with partner at end of Day 1

Everyone has a story…tell me a good one!

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GOAL OF DAY 1:• CREATE A PERSONAL STORY BANK

NEXT STEP:• PICK THE ONE STORY YOU WANT TO

DEVELOP.

• CREATE 4 SLIDES (PPT) THAT VISUALLY TELL THE STORY

END OF DAY 1

StoryBank

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEEXERCISE 4: STORYBOARDING

STORYBOARD YOUR STORY: CREATE A 4-SLIDE DECK THAT

REPRESENTS KEY SCENES OF YOUR STORY.

SCENE 1 SCENE 2

SCENE 3 SCENE 4To be completed before Day 2

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GOAL:UNDERSTAND AND PRACTICE STORY BOARDING

NEXT STEP:DEVELOP YOUR STORY

END OF DAY 2

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Where does your story take place?

EXERCISE 5A : SETTING DESCRIPTION

When does your story take place?

To be completed before Day 3

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Describe protagonist in detail (for inspiration, see list on next page)

Describe secondary character in detail

EXERCISE 5B: CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

To be completed before Day 3

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEBASIC CHECKLIST OF TRAITS (TO PAINT SPECIFIC PICTURE)

ableadventurousambitiousblowhardboldbossybravebrightbrutishbusycalmcarefreecaringcheerfulcivilizedcleverclumsycompassionateconceitedconfusedconsideratecooperativecourageous

creativecuriousdaintydaringdarkdemandingdesiccateddetermineddisagreeabledreamerdrunkdullenergeticexcitedexpertfancyfearfulferociousfighterfriendlyfun-lovingfunnygenerous

gentlegulliblehandsomehappyhard-workinghelpfulhonesthumblehumorousimaginativeimmobileimpulsiveindependentindolentintelligentinventivejovialjoyfulkeenlazyleaderleanlicentious

lightlight-heartedlovablelovingloyalmeanmessymischievousmottledneatobedientobeseoverweightpatrioticperversepitifulplainpleasingpoorpopularprettyprimprimitive

properproudquietrawbonedrepugnantrepulsivereservedresourcefulrespectfulresponsiblerichrudesadscrawnyscruffyself-confidentselfishseriousshortshysimplesimple-mindedsmart

sterilestrongstubbornstudioussuccessfultallthoughtfulthrillingtimidtirelessuglyuncoordinatedunselfishunsuitablevacantviolentwildwitty

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What is the conflict?

EXERCISE 5C: CONFLICT/PROBLEM OF THE STORY

NO WAY!WAY!

EXERCISE 5C: PLOT CREATION

To be completed before Day 3

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEBASIC CHECKLIST OF VERBS (TO PAINT SPECIFIC PICTURE)

Advocate Articulate Assemble Bolster Clarify Coach Communicate Convert Convince Create Define

Demonstrate Develop Disseminate Educate Empower Encourage Establish Evaluate Examine Facilitate Familiarize

Form Guide Hire Illustrate Implement Influence Inform Initiate Inspire Invigorate Motivate

Persuade Plane Recommend Recruit Remove Report Simplify Socialize Standardize Stimulate Structure

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Climax

EXERCISE 5D: CLIMAX

Tension/conflictSituation

WHEN AND HOW IS THE STORY RESOLVED

To be completed before Day 3

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEEXERCISE 5E: PLOT CREATION

DRAW THE PLOT LINE OF YOUR STORY. (THE

(VERTICAL AXIS SHOULD CAPTURE WHEN THE AUDIENCE IS AT THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS)

How to develop scenes?

Time

Tens

ion

To be completed before Day 3

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Why was this important to me?

EXERCISE 5F: WHAT IS THE POINT (“AHA”)

What was my learning?

To be completed before Day 3

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Write your opening sentence here:

Write your closing sentence here:

EXERCISE 5G: WRITE OPENING AND CLOSING

To be completed before Day 3

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEEXERCISE 5I: STORYBOARDING TAKE 2

NOW, STORYBOARD YOUR STORY AGAIN.

SCENE 1 SCENE 2

SCENE 3 SCENE 4To be completed before Day 4

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEEXERCISE 6A: LISTENING WELL

Listening to stories is as great a skill as telling them. Ethnographers have a great skill for eliciting stories from people and drawing meaning from them. Practice this skill of listening. With your partner, analyze:

WHAT QUESTION CAN YOU ASK

YOUR PARTNER TO GET MEANINGFUL, REVEALING STORY FROM THEM?

WHAT WAS THE CONFLICT IN THE

STORY?

WHAT DOES THE CONFLICT TELL YOU

ABOUT PERSON TELLING THE STORY?

WHAT DOES THE CHOICE OF STORY

TELL YOU ABOUT THEM?

To be done with partner during 3rd day of class

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEEXERCISE 6B: WITH PARTNER, DO ANTHROPOLOGICAL EXERCISERE: MAIN CHARACTER

Thus, character development is critical. To hone your skill, ask your partner 2-3 questions around your character -- questions that you did not mention in your story such as, "what does this character eat for breakfast?” “what is this characters favorite movies.” Do your partner’s answers align with your intentions

An important guideline in storytelling is: show, don’t tell. If you describe your character well, your audience knows more about them then you could ever say: They feel like they really know this person and could make judgments about what they would do or who they are.

To be done with partner during 3rd day of class

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEEXERCISE 6C: BRAINSTORM WHICH OF THE BELOW TOOLS

SHOULD BE USED TO PAINT MORE VIVID PICTURES FOR YOUR STORY

METAPHOR

A figure of speech that compares one thing to another.

SIMILE

Metaphor comparing two things using “like, a or as”. (i.e. She runs like a deer or is thin as a rail.)

PERSONIFICATION

When human characteristics are given to non-human things.

ATMOSPHERE WORDS

Select descriptive words that support the atmosphere of your story

OPINION WORDS

Those describing what the speaker thinks

FACT WORDS

Those that show by supplying sensory details

TIME-ORDER WORDS

Words that describe time and sequence, “at last” and “finally”

POSITION WORDS

Those that describe location, “underneath”

To be done with partner during 3rd day of class

HYPERBOLE

An extravagant exaggeration. For example, “John is as strong as an ox.”

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GOAL OF DAY 3: SOLIDIFY YOUR STORY

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NOW, STORYBOARD YOUR STORY AGAIN.

SCENE 1 SCENE 2

SCENE 3 SCENE 4To be completed before Day 4

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TITLE STYLEEXERCISE 8: PRACTICE YOUR 3 MINUTE STORY

TAPE YOUR STORY, OR WATCH

YOURSELF IN FRONT OR A MIRROR

WATCH, LISTEN, FUSE

COACH (WITH FRIEND) ON

PRESENTATION

PRACTICE/INTEGRATE NEW IDEAS

To be done (a lot) before Day 5.

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THE END