Story-Strategy, Act 1, Episode 3 : Debate
As I finished explaining the Shift model to Clair Pillay from FUNDA Training and Conferencing, she wrinkled her nose and said: :
Okay, so old fashioned lecturing is something of the past and it is necessary to attend to the learning design of presentations and conference, not just content design, and to invite creative participation from delegates and trainees. What I don’t get, is how does Story-Strategy do this. I know that stories can be very powerful to communicate a message, but I am hearing something else when you talk about story as strategy.
Story-Strategy does not exclude the use of stories to communicate messages, but is not limited to it. Any single well crafted story follows a particular structure and logic: the same structure and logic followed by almost every other well crafted story. It is this structure and logic that makes it such a powerful communication tool. It is designed to help listeners cross boundaries and integrate opposites. The Beginning of a story always sets up a current reality for people to identify with, the middle of the story takes them into a new and often opposing view of that reality, usually temporary, and the ending of the story shows an integration, more stable new normal. Think of Cinderella starting in poverty, being introduced to temporary riches at the ball and then ending as queen with a new more stable normal.
The trick is how to get the main character from the current reality across the threshold to the ball and then across the second threshold to permanent queen. So, h do we get FUNDA Conferences from being mostly filled with lectures to being revamped as powerful learning experiences that wow and impact their audiences? We can give your delegates a taste in the form of a keynote at the start or somewhere in the centre of the conference as temporary experience of what is possible, but to make a real difference, the conference itself must be designed as story, taking delegates from where they are into a new way of seeing and equipping them to apply that new perspective in their workplace. Shall I give you the logic and structure of story so you can see what I mean, or do you want to raise other reservations?
You can give me detail in a minute, but there is something else that worries me. You talk about creative participation from the audience, but many of the people who come expect to be served with great information, delivered by experts. They don’t want to play games. They want input, they don’t come to give it. How do you help people be open for interaction and not feel self conscious? This self-conscious thing is a big one because many of our delegates come from the financial and government sectors. They are reserved people comfortable with numbers and routine. Some are tired of all the changes that are constantly happening, especially those in the government sector.
Yes, it makes sense to take special care with your particular audience and their characteristics. The point of Story-Strategy is to meet people where they are and take them gradually to a new place. That new place includes one where they are open and comfortable with participation. As I said earlier: the power of story and therefore of Story-Strategy is in how it draws participants in and help them cross the thresholds. To cross the first threshold, you need to lead people through their doubts and reservations, making sure you allow them to be expressed, acknowledge and then address them.
Much like you are doing with me now?
She smiled and I smiled back.
Does it really work, though? How do you make sure that what they learn goes home with them and has a lasting impact?
You are talking about the second threshold now, and you are spot on. This is definitely the biggest challenge for just about any training or conference or OD intervention of other kinds. There is no simple answer. Even the best story tellers in the world will tell you that ending a story is the hardest part of its design. It is easier to make the story go on and on like a soap opera. Like a story too, to end a learning process is an art form, but Story-Strategy gives you good guidelines. I suggest you hold this question in the back of your mind and bring it up again when you think it is important.
Ok, I will keep challenging you on this.
I look forward to it, I say and smile. Anything else before I launch into the detail?
You mentioned neuro-science earlier. I am curious to know how Story-Strategy works with the brain.
Great question, I will make sure to highlight the neuro-scientific aspects of the model as we go through it.