Story Telling with passion to win hearts and minds

A couple of posts ago I talked about how stories can so powerfully communicate a message. There was one ingredient of story telling that I forgot to mention...Passion!  I was reminded of the oversight yesterday when I watched a brilliant presentation by Chilean author and activist Isabel Allende. With a list of best sellers to her name written over many years her other great passion is The Isabel Allende Foundation. It primarily supports organizations that help women and children in need, by providing education, healthcare, protection and the means to empowerment

lorri Barron (c) 2009

The dual topics of Isabel's presentation were passion and eradicating the abuse of woman across the world. Isabel introduced herself by saying "I tell stories." And she proceeded to tell with passion the stories of two woman and the abuse they had suffered at the hands of men.

I will admit that having stumbled upon a presentation on feminism that was going to take 20 minutes to watch I did not expect to see it through to a conclusion! The reason I did see it through and then wanted to quickly share the presentation with others was....I was completely hooked!

Isabel beautifully demonstrated the story tellers art with elements that I would recognise afterwards. A central character (the hero), a place and time, a challenging situation, an outcome and a conclusion.

But for me what made this a story telling masterclass was her use of passion and emotion to make you experience the situations she spoke of. And how did she do that?

She began with humour. The emotions "ice breaker" that enabled the audience to connect with their feelings.

Using self-directed irony she endeared herself with a story that included personal comparison with the magnificent Sophia Loren. In the process, offering a subtle metaphoric reminder of how the world popularly views women.

This set up the dramatic contrast of the harrowing stories of her real heroes. Told to an audience who had been subconciously primed to feel the pain and the shame of the stories they heard.

With her stories told, Isabel brought the audience back to "feel good" state with concluding humour and a further reference to Sophia Loren's legendary breasts. Anchoring the metaphor maybe? 

And finally...with the message embedded...the final stirring call for action! 

I viewed the presentation at http://www.ted.com/.  Ideas worth spreading is their mission.

I certainly was compelled to share Isabel's idea. 

For more tips and advice on adding persuadability to your message visit us at http://www.persuadability.co.uk/