Strategic Storyteller
It all begins with YOUR story. Learn how to tell it here. Peter Rome
About Rome
Entrepreneurs: Too Many Minds: 4 Lessons towards better Listening Skills
June 18, 2019 Strategic Storytelling. How to tell your story
In Forbes's article, "Ten Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Fail," written by Steve Andriole, a business professor from the Villanova School of Business at the Villanova University in Pennsylvania, stated that Entrepreneurs were not smart. "Not talking about IQ here. Entrepreneurial IQ (EIQ) is about a holistic understanding of situations. Many entrepreneurs understand their idea, but not the market that will accept or reject the idea. Nor do they understand how accidental, uncontrollable, unscheduled innovation actually works. Or who the real competitors are. Often entrepreneurs have too little domain depth: they literally do not know what they're talking about (though they often talk a good game)."
I like to address this issue from a different perspective and use an example from the movie, "The Last Samurai." It's a story of a 19th Century army captain named Nathan Algren played by Tom Cruise. In one scene of the movie, Cruise's character is attempting to learn how to sword fight with wooden samurai swords. His teacher, a seasoned samurai, is showing no mercy and Cruise's character is getting beaten and bruised mercilessly.
After another round and ending up knocked to the ground, the American captain sits quietly and bewildered as to what he is doing wrong. A young samurai approaches him and tells him quietly, "Too many minds." The young Japanese man goes on, "Mind of the fight, the mind of people watching, the mind of your surroundings, too many minds." This concept of too many minds can also parallel the concept of listening skills. Here are four key lessons to improving those skills and help you focus on one mind.
Lesson 1: Maintain eye contact.
This means to focus on the person who is talking to you. It doesn't mean stare and think about a good come back. The blank stare shows no activity because the person is thinking or daydreaming about something else. Grant you in some cultures, like in Japan, looking at the eyes can be an insult, but even in this case, the focus must still be on what words are being chosen to express thoughts.
Lesson 2: Listen for keywords.
What words has the speaker chosen to express himself? If the words are vague or too general, that is a good time to interrupt politely and ask for clarification or definition. This will also demonstrate that you are listening and engaged. Emotions play a big part in what is spoken and should not be taken personally. Listen for emphasized words. But how will you know which words are keywords?
Lesson 3: Body communication.
I remembered a community play I directed, and one patron came up to me after the show and told me she really liked the young actress in the performance but could not hear or understand her. I thought that was interesting because I was up in the control booth and could hear the young actress' lines perfectly. But when I saw the video of the performance, I understood immediately what the problem was. Several times the actress delivered her lines with the right emotion, but with nobody communication. No hand gestures, facial expressions, or body movement. Body communication is 80% of public speaking. Body language is another way to listen by interpreting what is being said through facial expressions, hand gestures, and body stance.
Lesson 4: Shut up and listen
A while back Forbes described and listed the 10 top reasons why entrepreneurs and solo business owners failed. Interesting enough, six of the ten can be further filtered down to one specialized skill. One that you don't even think about but can affect your sales, marketing, partner relationships, customer service, and in the end your business. That is learning how to listen. Strong listening skills will improve your marketing, sales, customer service, and presentation and public speaking from presentations to sales.
A successful entrepreneur, Ernesto Sirolli, learned the hard way an important fact about listening. In his 20's, he had come to Africa with ambition, knowledge, and resources to help Africans move from their primitive ways, according to Western thinking, to modern advancement–and he failed. Why? Listen to his story on learning how to shut-up and listen. Ernesto is a brilliant public speaker with a talent for quick wit and humor. If you really want to succeed as an entrepreneur take the time and listen how to achieve that goal, it will be, in my opinion, the first primary step to learning an important lesson that can start your improvement towards better listening and inevitable towards improving your public speaking and presentation skills.
Then, when you are ready, I'm here to help take those next steps in mastering both your public speaking and presentation skills. Look me up on LinkedIn.
public speaking, Uncategorized
"It's About Your Script."
May 31, 2019 Strategic Storytelling. How to tell your story
It doesn't matter whether you are delivering an informative, persuasive or humorous speech. The majority of people concentrate on how they are going to deliver their presentation, or what images will work best on their next Keynote/PowerPoint presentation. They may then focus on whether to use notes or make an attempt to memorize their speech. And yet, no one really looks at the root of all public speaking problems and its solution–the script.
I'm writing this article for print and reading, but if I was delivering this as a speech, my writing would look quite different, in fact, it would look like a script, because essays are designed to be read, while scripts are crafted to be spoken.
A script, like a novel, is written with words–and yet they are different. Where a novel must set the scene, develop the characters, and create emotion with words; a script must be spoken to an audience creating its energy by breathing life into each word.
How to Prepare Your Speech
Write it as if you are speaking. Don't write an essay, the words will be spoken not printed. Double-space your script: This is for the purpose of making comments to yourself.
Underline adjectives and key phrases. These are words that represent emotions. What emotions do your words represent? If you aren't sure then this is something a public speaking coach could help out with.
Practice by speaking out loud
I have walked into many high school and college English 1 classes to find students buried in reading a Shakespeare play like Romeo & Juliet or Julius Caesar–the key word is "buried," because the room is silent as everyone is trying to stay awake reading silently. Not one of Shakespeare's plays was designed to be read like some novel–they were written to be SPOKEN! Because Shakespeare's plays are scripts not novels.
Likewise, don't practice reading your script for a speech or presentation silently to yourself, READ IT OUT LOUD. Many people are embarrassed to read their speeches out loud, even when they're alone, but will pay for it, at the lectern, when that anxiety appears from hearing their voice, as if for the first time. At that point, awkwardness leads to a lack of confidence that fills the speaker, turning an opportunity to make a great impression into self resentment.
I have seen several good public speaking courses on video. Likewise there are several good books teaching presentation topics from the boardroom to TED talks. But both lack two key ingredients. (1) No system on how to choose the right words for impact, and (2) No live feedback from a qualified or professional public speaking coach. When watching a video or reading a book, how do you know that you are doing it right? You need someone to hear your presentation, evaluate it, and return positive criticism that will encourage and improve your speech.
Public Speaking is a Skill
Unfortunately, videos and books can't give you experience and feedback. Experience comes from both practice and delivery to a live audience. Feedback comes from encouragement and direction from an experience coach.
Public speaking comes under the heading of communication as one of the most important foundational tools you can possess. Public speaking is also the foundation to developing other business skills such as: Leadership, problem-solving, project management, sales and more. Like any skill, public speaking is an ongoing process that leads to proficiency and beyond.
Looking for a Public Speaking Coach
I strongly believe people looking to learn or perfect their public speaking skills cannot get this experience from videos or books. For over three decades I have taught public speaking\debate courses, been a theatrical director, playwrite, an actor, and a public speaking coach. Three decades of hands-on experience working with beginners to professional speakers. I know I can help you in either my workshop setting or one-to-one coaching.
It is said, "If it doesn't challenge you, it can't change you." Take the challenge to increase your self-confidence and put the nervousness under control. If interested in learning more about my class settings and topics check out my website: https://PeteRome.com.
Tagged #Public #speaking #Coach #Nervousness, #Speech classes #Speech Training, Marketing, public speaking, scriptsLeave a comment
To Change Reality-Change the Story P3
February 28, 2018 February 27, 2018 Strategic Storytelling. How to tell your story
Stories have always been designed to entertain, inform, educate and persuade. Stories also have the power to gain momentum and public opinion that can change lives as well as laws.
For example, the MADD movement began with the tragic death story of a 13-year-old girl named, Cari Lightner, who was killed by a drunk driver. It was Cari's mother, Candace, who decided that she would make her story known with the hope to help other families from experiencing her loss and tragedy. From 1980 to present, MADD has seen a 55% reduction in drunk driving causalities.
In 1996, it would be the story of the kidnapping and brutal murder of seven-year-old Kelly Megan that would create a new Federal law—The Megan Law. Later, in 2016, President Obama, advanced and signed into effect the International Megan's Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders.
On April 20, 1999, 15 students were massacred by two students with automatic weapons. In addition to the 15 dead, 20 students were wounded. Since the Columbine High School Massacre, 31 related school shootings have occurred in the US with 18 reported just this year alone.
The cold-blooded murders that occurred recently at Douglas High School has been globally reported weakly as the "Florida shooting" or "Douglas H.S. shooting." The debates and arguments started immediately, with one side proposing the elimination of all Assault Weapons, while its opposition argued that the real issue is centering on mental health. Suddenly, the victim's story has been sadly put aside.
I wonder why the media has chosen not to use the word massacre? 17 human beings, 14 young people and 3 adults were murdered in cold blood. Twenty-three wounded. The definition of the word, 'massacre' means: an indiscriminate and brutal slaughter of people. Because this was more than just a shooting—it was, by definition, a massacre.
To change the reality, you need to change the story.
In a previous blog" Getting Results," I commented on the 1929 Valentine's Day Massacre, which happened in the city of Chicago, where seven gang members were executed by a rival gang posing as police officers. Five years, a new Federal law was passed, The National Firearms Act. This law removed the Thompson Submachine Gun off the streets.
The difference between Columbine, twenty years ago, and today, is social media. Twenty years ago, you got your news from newspapers and television. Today, social media brings stories to life in real time. Another difference was back in 1996, cell phones were only phones. Today, they're portable broadcast studios connected to a global network.
Like the 1929 Valentine Massacre, the 2018 Valentine Massacre is picking up momentum to change public opinions and maybe even laws. That in part is due to the number of people using Social Media to read and tell the same story from a different perspective. The lines may be drawn, but you can be sure this story is still developing itself towards change.
Tagged Douglas High School, Stories, Storytelling, Strategy, Valentine's DayLeave a comment
To Change Reality–Change the Story P2
Back in 1994, I thought it would be great if I could do science projects with schools across the nation. At that time, I had an account with AOL and my username was OceanFront. I had memories of the space station created by Walt Disney back in 1955 and shown on his Disney television show, and imagined a similar virtual space station where students and teachers would be welcomed aboard to conduct experiments in space.
I worked with AOL in developing the Electronic Schoolhouse to help launch an idea I developed called, "Space Island." I used the Internet to invite schools in the United States to partner with the idea to cross-train and learn from each other. Soon, schools from around the world were contacting me to join our Space Island's story.
Projects varied around the world. For example, students in Kuwait discussed how water would be made in space, since water was an important necessity in their desert country. Students in Nebraska wrote, "Using this water maybe we could raise corn in hydroponic labs." Students from Cambodia said, "While corn is a good crop, we think rice would have more benefits."
Back in the 1980's and 90's, universities were prime online connectors that linked to other universities and schools that were connected to them. The Universities of Helsinki and Amsterdam were key to spreading the Space Island program globally. University students from Helsinki noted that with so many languages aboard our virtual space station they would work on a language translator. Their initial project translated Spanish, English and Finnish into the present tense. Online translators, like "Babelfish", started their first explorations at this point. Today, you can find 'Babelfish.com' now translates about 75 languages.
Back in the late 1990's, the United States had boycotted China, but online, my program reached a teacher in Beijing, China. Not able to directly contact me, her request traveled to Helsinki, then to Amsterdam then to me. I was an educator not a politician, but the red lights went off when China became part of the program. This caused an investigation.
Two State Senators came to my school to find out what my connection with China was. I was working with JPL and NASA and there was probably concern about Space technology getting passed around.
While that was going on a reporter from the Los Angeles Times Newspaper started his investigation on the number of participants in the Space Island online program. Working with AOL, the number of participants was confirmed to have reached globally 2.3 million students and teachers in forty nations. In short–It went Viral.
In 1996, the United States Congress placed my Space Island Program into the Library of Congress as a historical event. It was considered the first long distant educational program ever developed. Both the State of California and NASA also gave recognition. Today, all online educational programs are a continuation of the story. When I look back, I realize good stories can influence and change lives globally.
Tagged Businessman, Credibility, Education, Internet, onliine education, persuasion, Space education, Space Island, space station, STEAM, STEM, StorytellingLeave a comment
If you want to change reality—then change the story.
Sometimes, it is just a matter of seeing the same story from a different perspective, sometimes the story must be told from a different character in your story, and sometimes, the rules need to be changed. Stories have power to influence, inform, and educate. Maybe it's time to take time to re-examine your story and retell it.
This week we will explore how individuals or companies were able to move forward into positions of influence by just changing their story. Let's start back in the 1980's, under Steve Jobs, the Apple mission statement, which was his company's story was, "Man is the creator of change in this world. As such, he should be above systems and structures, and not subordinate to them."
I think, back in the 80's, this statement was ringing true with many people who were now starting to use more and more technology. For example, when you bought software it generally came with a lot of technical instructions, same with the computer and its components. The joke being played around during that time was that you needed a degree in engineering or be a programmer to understand the instructions.
In the 1980's, there were many computers: Atari, Commodore, Texas Instruments, Kaypros and more. Compatibility and standardization did not exist across the board in these early years.
By 1996, Apple was in a mess. Leadership was weak, Apple was searching for a new OS for the new millennium, and internal strife for recognition and power had brought Apple to a grinding halt. In 1996, Jobs returned and immediately changed the story. It was simple in its design and complex in its operation—a new term "Simplexity."
Simplexity refers to an idea, or concept that appears to be simple to understand, yet is quite complex in its design structure. The PC back in 90's was not user friendly. The back of the PC had multiple cables requiring multiple outlets for the monitor, PC, printer, and modem. Using the computer was not easy for the average person either. Cryptic commands and symbols were common.
Apple since that time has changed their story to, "Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings."
FILE – This 1998 file photo provided by Apple, shows Apple CEO Steve Jobs pose for a photo with an iMac computer. Apple on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 said Jobs has died. He was 56. (AP Photo/Apple, Moshe Brakha, File)
Jobs announced the simplicity of his machine with a new story advertisement– "There's No Step Three." Mac's screen icons were easy to identify, and you didn't have to type commands anymore—just use your mouse and click. Mac's sales were soon back in the playing field and its momentum hasn't lost ground.
A lot has been written about Steve Jobs, but I think in the end, it was not technology that changed our reality but his story. A story that captured people because they wanted to move from the complexity of getting the job done to the simplicity of being creative. So, how will your story impact the world?
Tagged Apple Computer, Businessman, educator, persuasion, Speeches, Steve Jobs, Storytelling, strategicLeave a comment
The symbols of the two masks, one smiling and the other sad, comes from the Greek culture of theatre and drama 'Comedy' and 'Tragedy'. Comedy meant that a story had a good ending, like William Shakespeare's, "A Midsummer's Night Dream," or Allison Schroeder's screenplay, "Hidden Figures." On the other hand, tragedy always had a bad ending; again, we see Shakespeare's, "Romeo and Juliet," or Director Paul Greengrass' movie, "United 93."
What all good stories have in common is their ability to change perspective. A good lawyer will work hard to change the jury's perspective of his client. "Perspective is everything when you are experiencing the challenges of life." Joni E. Tada.
This brings us to our next genre—The Quest. The purpose of the Quest is to build tension in the story. Demonstrate how your character overcomes his challenges. End with delivering a satisfying conclusion, which creates a shift of your audience's perspective. In the end, the real power in a good story is the ability to continue to change the perspective of your listener or reader.
Dan Brown is a master at weaving history and urban legends into powerful stories. His stories have the ability to alter his audience's perspectives by presenting new definitions on symbols ranging from Masonic symbols to the rituals in the Catholic Church. The Biblical writers of the New Testament likewise did not just introduce Jesus but have continued to change human perspectives for the past 2000 years.
The Quest, as a storytelling tool, works best when the stories are true and personal. It is about stories of true human adventures, trials and tribulations, and overcoming the odds; transferring the emotions from setbacks and successes to the listener or reader. It begs simple questions, "What would I have done in that situation?" "Could I do the same in my own situation or quest?"
There is a story about an elderly woman who boarded a train. After a few stops she noticed a father and his young son, who looked like he was probably nine years old, board the train. They took their seats directly in front of her.
Soon, the son started talking loudly to his father, telling him about the clouds he saw outside and buildings and trees the train was passing by. The father listened to him and nodded encouragingly.
After a while, the elderly woman got annoyed by how the young man was speaking, and learned forward and said to his father, "Excuse me, sir, but have you considered taking him to special doctor?"
The father smiled at her, and replied: "Actually, we're just coming back from the doctor. You see, my son has been blind since birth, and this is the first day he's ever been able to see."
You see, it's about taking your listeners\readers on a journey's quest reaching a high point of tension or emotional buildup, like a mountain peak, then suddenly dropping them, like a steep slope, not negatively, but more of an awakening—a new perspective.
Tagged public speaking, scripts, Storytelling, Valentine's Day, writersLeave a comment
It was not a mutiny in the old-time sense, of course, with flashing of cutlasses, a captain in chains,and desperate sailors turning outlaws. After all, it happened in 1944 in the United States Navy, but the court of inquiry recommended trial for mutiny, and the episode became known as "the Caine mutiny" throughout the service.
The story begins with Willie Keith because the event turned on his personality as the massive door of a vault turns on a small jewel bearing. Caine's Mutiny by Hernan Wouk.
These are the opening lines for the 1951, Pulitzer Prize novel, which starts the story at the court martial; whereas, the 1954 movie version begins with the 2nd Lt. Willie Keith being assigned to the Caine ship. The screenplay builds the characters and the causes for the mutiny. The book novel is a good example of In Medias Res.
Today, I will introduce, "In Medias Res," or learning how to begin the story in the middle where there is an action or dramatic scene that captures, engages, and motivates your listener to want more. In Medias Res creates questions. Questions like, 'What happened before this?' or 'What caused this to happen?' or 'Who is he?' These questions create engagement and capture the audience's attention.
In Medias Res is a well establish style of storytelling. For example, Homer's Odysseus' journey already is at the end when the story begins, what happens after this are flashbacks to different points of time, building the story, the characters, and answering the 'Why' questions. William Shakespeare also used this format in one of his plays called, "Cymbeline."
There are three good reasons for considering the use of In Medias Res. The first has an advantage of focusing attention to the high point of the story. A good analogy is on how movie trailers are designed. They tend to place the audience right into the middle of the action to entice and motivate future ticket sales. In storytelling, placing the audience in the middle of the action or dramatic scene has advantages.
The second reason gives you an opportunity to seize the attention of your audience. But what is meant by attention? The attention here means to engage or to invite a listener along the journey.
The third and what I think is the most important point is it creates questions immediately. If the next turn on the road can be anticipated there isn't much suspense. Suspense comes from not knowing what will happen next. The middle initiates the action, the beginning explains how we got there, and the end, which we are not sure, still lies around the bend unknown.
OPENING SCENE: The soldier is writing into his diary his last thoughts before the final battle, he then stops to reflect on his earlier entries as we journey back in time through his memory. Suddenly, we're back, the battle begins. How will it end? Will the soldier survive? We don't know. That's the advantage of In Medias Res.
Tagged Businessman, Caine's mutiny, Hero's Journey, In Medias Res, logic, public speaking, Salesperson, scripts, Speeches, Storytelling, Strategy, writersLeave a comment