从“有故事的人”成为一个会讲故事的人：你的沟通技能将从此爆表

    故事还能：

    • 利用吸引人的隐喻，迅速传递原本复杂的理念。

    • 使信息更为可信。

    • 激发所有利益相关者群体参与其中，并增加其信任感。

    • 传递价值、理念和热情，并使听者能内化于心

    • 随着听者欣然接受故事所要传达的信息，它还能减少阻力

    案例研究：最后，让我们再说一个真实的故事，有一家公司主要做宠物护理，帮助客户有效地照顾他们的宠物。该公司的一个重要价值是“不惜一切帮助顾客”。

    一天下午，该公司一家门店迎来了一群小学生，他们年龄只有5到9岁。孩子们抱着一只纸箱，里面有好几只刚出生的小猫。这些小猫是他们从林子里捡来的，可能是被它们的母亲遗弃了。孩子们没有钱，也没有经验，只是非常想照顾好这些小猫。其中一个孩子恳求道：“你能帮我们救救这些小猫吗？如果我们不救它们，它们就会死的。”

    这家门店的经理没有任何犹豫，立即给了他们两个大的猫笼子，足够吃一个月的猫粮，以及水盆、碎布等一应物品。然后她耐心地向孩子们讲解怎样照顾小猫，确保他们充分理解自己的新责任。她还鼓励孩子们一有问题就来找她。孩子们带着小猫回家了，他们的脸上挂着快乐和自信的笑容。

    第二天，一些孩子的父母来到店里，衷心感谢了这名经理，并且高兴地付清了她赠送的那些物品所需要的款项。此外，他们还购买了很多养猫所需的其它物品。更重要的是，他们赞扬了经理的做法，并且把这个故事告诉了所有朋友和邻居。这家店“真正关心顾客、在行动中展示价值”的理念由此深入人心，迅速获得了竞争优势。

    这个故事也迅速在该公司内部流传开来，并在社交网络上走红。甚至连该公司的CEO也乐于与人分享这个故事，作为在组织内各个级别传递公司价值，尤其是“采取行动”这一讯息的一种手段。

    一旦你决心成为一名会讲故事的领导者，以下几个步骤可以帮助你：

    • 基于个人经历，想想过去的经历中，哪些事可以成为一个好故事的基础，养成撰写“个人故事笔记”的好习惯。

    • 当你分享故事时，你总会获得另一个故事作为回报……人们习惯于用一个故事匹配另一个故事。最重要的是，注意他人的故事中反映的价值、问题和热情，并且把它们整合到你自己的故事里。当你的故事反映了听者自身的价值时，注意观察他们的反应。

    • 对故事进行研究，读一些关于讲故事的书，注意收集和提炼你的故事，最重要的是：

    • 开始讲故事！故事可以改变你与人的关系，使你成为一名杰出的领导者。所以开始讲故事吧。

    正如技艺精湛的脱口秀女王奥普拉•温弗瑞在每个故事的结尾处所言：“这就是我的故事，我坚持这一点！”（财富中文网）

    *延伸阅读：Lori Silverman的新书《讲完数据之后再叫醒我：企业如何利用故事催生结果》(Wake Me Up When the Data is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results)已经在亚马逊上有售。

    译者：朴成奎

    审校：任文科

    Stories can also:

    • Rapidly communicate complex concepts using compelling metaphors

    • Make information more believable

    • Stimulate engagement and trust across all key stakeholder groups

    • Convey values, ideas, and passion that listeners will internalize

    • Eliminate resistance as listeners willingly take ownership of a story’s message

    Case Study:Let me close with a true story that went viral in a company that was focused on pet care and helping customers effectively care for their pets. One of importantly the values in the company was “Do whatever it takes to help the customer.”

    One afternoon, a group of school children, aged 5-9 years, came into one of the company’s many stores, carrying a cardboard box full of newly born kittens they had found in the woods, abandoned by the mother. They had no money, and no experience, only a strong commitment to take care of the kittens, no matter what. In a pleading voice, one of the children asked, “Can you help us save these kittens? They’ll die if we don’t help them.”

    The store manager, without hesitation, immediately gave them two large kitten cages, a month’s supply of food, water dishes and some comfortable rags for the kittens to sleep in. She then coached them on how to care for young kittens and made sure they understood their new responsibilities. She also encouraged to ‘come back anytime if you need more help.’ With happy faces, and new confidence, the kids proudly took their kittens home.

    The next day, some of the parents came to the store, profusely thanked the manager, and happily paid for all the items that she had given to the children the day before. In addition, they bought a lot of other products that growing kittens would need. Most importantly, they praised the manager for taking initiative and they told the story to all their friends and neighbors. As a result, the store immediately gained a competitive advantage as “a business that truly cares for customers and demonstrates its values in action.”

    This story also went viral within the pet care company’s own organization and was proliferated on social media. Even the company’s CEO loves to share this story as a way of communicating their values and especially the message “take initiative” across all levels of the organization.

    Here’s a few action steps for you, once you decide to lead with stories:

    • Think back to situations in your own personal experience that could be the basis for a good story and keep a Personal Story Notebook

    • When you share a story, notice that almost always, you will get a story in return…it’s human nature to match a story with a story. Most important, notice the values, issues, passions reflected in other’s stories and integrate those into your stories. Watch how people resonate as their own values are reflected back to them via your stories.

    • Make a study of stories, read books about storytelling*, keep collecting and fine tuning your stories, and, most important:

    • Start telling stories! Stories can transform your relationships with people and make you a stand-out leader. So go for it.

    As Oprah Winfrey, a masterful entertainer and storyteller says at the end of every story, “That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!”

    *See:“Wake Me Up When the Data is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results,” a new book by Lori Silverman, available on Amazon.com