Loneliness and love stories: why business leaders want a new story.

1. Loneliness and
Love Stories:
The Business Case for Telling
Personal Stories

2. Great leaders
tell personal stories
 Session Deliverables
 Discover why business leaders are
looking for a new story.
 Learn the three types of stories and how
to create a business story using a story
model.
 Work through a story scenario using the
story model.
“2012 is the year of the
story… 3M is one that is
using storytelling best…”
Fast Company

3. The Little Box
with Four Fat Chocolates
 Storytelling comes natural to all of us – we
all have our gifts and style.
 Stories activate the mind in ways that make
listeners fell like they are having a
visual, tactile and kinetic experience
 What makes one stand on its two feet, sway
its hips, and move the conversation forward
in the manner that the storyteller desires?

4. Why business leaders
are looking for a new story
 Moving to a conceptual age.
 Creativity increases ROI.
 Increase in loneliness.
 Desire for stewardship, intimacy, and
meaning to make the world a better
place.

5. Three Companies –
Stories Increase ROI
Pfizer – using personal stories to
increase sales.
American Girl – personal stories
behind the dolls.
Tiffany & Co. – “What makes
True Love” organic personal
story campaign.

6. Romeo and
Juliet story model
 We all have our own storytelling gifts and
style.
 Improve your business conversations by:
 Thinking in compelling stories.
 Creating a compelling story.
 Telling a compelling story.
“What people really want from
their business conversations is a
juicy love story.”
Peter Drucker

7. Think in love stories:
First find the story truth
 Analysis: The heart of every great story is
vulnerability. Why Romeo and Juliet
resonates as the greatest love story of all
time.
 Story Truth: What is the meaning or truth of
the story? This is what creates the emotional
connection and ignites a greater purpose.

8. Next:
Choose story type

9. Start with a story glimmer
 “Jobs and Wozniak toiling in garage”
 A snap shot or a glimpse
 Incomplete story, just the start of a good
story
 Most people have and use story glimmer’s
everyday

10. Create your
business love story
 Story Vine:
 Tension and movement of events builds
as you move up the Vine.
 Imagine Romeo climbing the vine to get
to Juliet alone on the balcony.
 Will he make it?
 What will happen once he gets there?
 Will he be discovered?

11. Create your
business love story
 Story Setup:
 Current realities/who, what, where of the
story.
 Fascinating setting and details!
 Hero/Villain:
 Hero is you, your services or products.
Villain is the person or thing you fight
against.

12. Create your
business love story
 Struggle:
 Conflict of your story.
 Story Finale:
 Ending ignites to action around a new
reality.

13. Walk Through
Creation Story Scenario
 Story Glimmer
 Creation Scenario:
 I worked my way through college.
 Story Truth:
 Creation Scenario:
 Who I am is hard work and
persistence and if you hire me that’s
what you’ll get.

14. Walk Through
Creation Story Scenario
 Story Setup
 Started a catering business selling muffins
out of basket to business offices.
 Found a small internet sales company selling
muffins.
 Wanted to work for them to gain the business
experience while getting her degree.
 Hero/Villain
 Hero Her – the rising star.
 Villain -- the world opening up to allow her to
work in a business job before the degree.

15. Walk Through
Creation Story Scenario
 Struggle
 The struggle here is getting the better job and
working while going to school fulltime.
 Will she make it through and get the degree
and the job? How will she convince them to
hire her before she has her degree?
 Story Finale
 She got the the job and the degree!
 Hard work and perseverance has played out
in her life since that time.
 The action is hire her!

16. Tell your story
in three easy love acts
 Invite: Propose Story. Think of this act as an
offering and a gift to the listener.
 Unite: Bond Together. This act is what you say
and do so the listener bonds to you and the
story truth.
 Ignite: Marry in Action. This act is how the
listener is compelled by the story to act in a
new and different way.

17. Some words for
Inviting, Uniting, and Igniting
 Invite – Offer
 “Let me tell you a story.” “Last week…”
“That reminds me…” “Did I ever tell you
about…”
 Unite – Bond
 A repeated phrase that unites you to the
listener. “Romeo! Romeo! Where for art
thou?”
 Ignite – Act
 Use words that include what we can
see, taste, touch, hear, and smell. These
types of words compel listener to action.

18. Story checklist for improving conversations
 Pick the type of
story to tell.
 Start with a Story
Glimmer.
 Think in Love
Stories and find the
Story Truth.
 Create using
the Romeo
and Juliet Story
Vine.
 Tell the Love Story
in 3 Love Acts.

19. The heart of every
great story is vulnerability
 Use Romeo and Juliet story model to:
 Think in stories.
 Create your own stories.
 Tell your stories.

20. Contact Us
 Your Story Guide
 Need help bringing your story to surface?
 michelle.lebow@memoirofme.com
 michellelebow.net
 Tell Your Story Online
 Need help telling your story online?
 info@9clouds.com
 9Clouds.com