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The Art of

STORYTELLING

Around 50,000 to 150,000 years ago is when we started developing our languages, and Homo Sapiens
began to evolve. It is fair to say that humans started the art of storytelling to transfer our knowledge to the
next generation. Approximately 27,000 years ago, we transferred knowledge via paintings, and about 3500
years ago, we transferred knowledge via written text. A few decades ago, my grandmother used to tell us
stories during every festival, religious function, or for fun activities we enjoyed as kids. Storytelling has not
changed a bit, but the mediums have changed.
Most kids are great storytellers as they are genuine, simple, and filled with emotions. There is no limit to a
child’s thought process. They do not look at the happenings around from the prism of pre-defined
structures, in fact they tend to mold them beyond the realms of reality. While we adults limit our creativity
with concepts such as pros and cons, these factors do not even exist for the little ones. As we grow up, we
come across varied beliefs, traditions, and perceptions, which end up developing some preconceived
notions within ourselves, thereby impacting, and influencing our overall personality as well as outlook.
The concept of storytelling in the corporate world is not that different. The real art of storytelling is in its
Character, Plot and Resolution and most story tellers use these three principles to tell interesting ideas in
newer ways or newer ideas in interesting ways.
It is extremely important to understand the audience that you are going to tell the story to, the current
setting, their position in the organization and their decision-making abilities. This will determine the kind of
emotions you are going to instigate in them during the story telling process.
Stage setting is extremely important before any storytelling, one can start with a lighter note that can
make people laugh or smile, get the audience more relaxed so that they become more creative and
focused, effectively instigating the endorphins hormone in their systems. Similarly, Dopamine and
Oxytocin hormones can be secreted if your story has some suspense or if you are trying to create some
empathy with the audience.
Do not forget that you are doing this to eventually sell a product or a service, it should not feel that way to
the reader. The story can be funny, meaningful, emotional or a mixture of all, be creative, but don’t forget to
make it relevant and interesting.
A great story binds us all together. It allows us to share and relate to one another’s experiences, meanings,
and perspectives. We can persuade others to see things from a different viewpoint and influence or Gautam Gupta
change behavior. A good story influences consumer motivation and behavior.
I, being part of an IT services organization, also learnt to tell stories over a period, effectively learning from
experience, being observant and listening intently. It is important to understand the context during the
conversation and pull out a story that is contextually relevant and can display the value that you are trying
to communicate to your audience.
Another important aspect for a storyteller is to build on your vocabulary, both verbal and visual. It’s vital to
pay attention to your delivery as well. Remember, the brain processes visuals 60x faster than words. When
it comes to presentations, storytelling can’t just be telling — it needs to be visual as well. That’s why it’s
imperative to plan for visual delivery from the start.
Storytelling is a great skill to practice. When it comes to intentionally influencing the feelings of others in a
particular context, there’s simply no better tool in your arsenal than the good, old-fashioned story.