Resources for Leaders

Vol. #13  1/15/04, Deanne G. Bryce, editor

Imagine that you have a new vision for your team. Are you able to communicate it in a way that will inspire them?

Leaders are expected to speak in front of a group. Never Be Boring Again, the title of a new book written by author and professional speaker Doug Stevenson implies a very real truth many business speakers are boring.

What's the trouble with boring people? Imagine the embarrassment you would feel if your audience members started nodding off. As leaders and speakers we have a choice, we can read this book, practice, and start seeing the results right away.

Stevenson's book offers an uncommon approach to an age-old technique for stirring emotion in listeners. He teaches readers a technique called "Story Theater." This approach to storytelling combines his theater background with his professional speaking experience. He admits that he bored many an audience before implementing a new approach. Then during one speech he decided to use acting to tell the story. Doug explains that many people tell stories but they stand still. Here is his reasoning for using a new approach

I've always been fascinated by the fact that the word "motivation" is derived from the word, motivus which means "to move," and the word "emotion" is derived from the French emouvoir −to "stir up." If we want to stir up our audience, we've got to stir things up by NOT standing in one place. If we want to move our audience intellectually and emotionally from here to there, we must move physically here and there.

Stevenson devotes a whole section of the book on putting motion into the story. I had the opportunity to attend one of his presentations and he demonstrated a technique called "The Two-Character Two-Step" He explains:

The premise behind The Two-Character Two Step is that you recreate the interplay between your personality and theirs. The two-step part takes place when you turn your body 90 degrees in between each character speaking.

Shortly after attending Doug's presentation in October, I applied this technique to my next presentation. It took some practice but people responded well to the story.

When you read the book you will learn to look for your own stories from your past, and from anecdote books, newspaper articles, biographies, quotes and quote books. Stevenson points out the elements of a good story. These elements include vivid detail, a lesson, business context, higher standard, and a story you like. As a speaker, the lesson or point is the most important item to consider. You can think of the point you want to make and find a story to fit that point or you can find a story you like and discover a point to be brought out. Either way the point needs to be valuable and motivational to your audience.

We humans have been writing about leadership for more than 2000 years. Is there anything new and exciting to be said about the subject? Perhaps not, but still we hunger for information and inspiration. ReaderStrength is an e-publication that adds value to your busy life as a leader by pointing you toward books to fuel your inspiration as you lead yourself and others.

Send us your ideas and favorite leadership books so that we can share them with others.

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