Stories for Work The Essential Guide to Business Storytelling

Stories for Work walks you through the science of storytelling, revealing the secrets behind great storytellers and showing you how to master the art of storytelling in business. Stories hold a unique place in our psyche, and the right story at the right time can be a game-changer in business; whether tragedy, triumph, tension or transition, a good story can captivate the listener and help you achieve your goals. In this book, author Gabrielle Dolan draws from a decade of training business leaders in storytelling to show you what works, why it works, when it works best and what never works. You'll learn how to create your own stories ? authentically yours, crafted to attain your goal ? and develop an instinct for sharing when the time is right. In-depth case studies feature real-world people in real-world businesses, showing how storytelling has changed the way they work, motivate and lead ? providing clear examples of the power of this enormously effective skill.

Storytelling gives you an edge. Whether you're after a promotion, a difficult client, a big sale or leading through transition, a great story can help you smooth the road and seal the deal. This book is your personal coach for masterful storytelling, with expert guidance and lessons learned from real-world business leaders.

• Learn why storytelling grabs attention and helps your message get through
• Master the four types of stories used in business settings
• Infuse your stories with the personal to highlight your vision and values
• Craft a selection of stories to pull out at pivotal business moments

The oral tradition has ancient roots that unite all humans, and despite our myriad modern distractions, we still respond to a well-told story. Stories for Work helps you put this dynamic to work for you in any business scenario.

About the author ix

Acknowledgements xi

Introduction xiii

Part I: Shaping your stories 1

1 The science of storytelling 5

2 Four types of stories you need in business 15

3 How to find stories for work 23

4 How to construct and share your stories 33

Part II: Sharing your stories 43

5 Stories that work for presentations 47

6 Stories that work for change 55

7 Stories that work for sales 65

8 Stories that work for values and vision 75

9 Stories that work for your personal brand 85

10 Stories that work for coaching 97

11 Stories that work for job interviews 105

12 Stories that work for newsletters and blogs 115

Part III: Storytelling case studies 125

13 Australia Post case study 129

14 Bupa case study 139

15 Spark case study 151

Conclusion 163

Next steps 167

Index 169

Connect and share 175

GABRIELLE DOLAN is a global thought leader on authentic leadership and storytelling. She works with high-profile leaders from around the globe, helping them to become better leaders and communicators using the art of business storytelling. She is the best-selling author of Ignite: Real Leadership, Real Talk, Real Results and co-author of Hooked: How leaders connect engage and inspire with storytelling.