Beth Kanter wrote an incredibly relevant piece on the importance of story-telling in presentations.  She cites Andy Goodman in her article:

Andy is a master at storytelling.  In his workshops, he offers the following formula for a storytelling based on Hollywood script writing:

* Introduce the central character
* Inciting moment:  something bad happens to the character that will prevent them from achieving a goal related to the goal of your presentation
* Barrier to resolution #1:  Character tries to solve the problem, but can’t
* Barrier to resolution #2:  Characater tries to solve the problem, but can’t
* Resolution:  What you’re going to share in your presentation
* Widen the Lens:  The bigger picture

Sounds simple enough…but not all of us are master story-tellers. How do you know if your story is good?

• Does your story give your audience an lesson they can use?  – Give your audience the ability to apply a lesson from the experience of someone else
• Is the ending of the story an excellent beginning to your presentation? – It’s tempting to tell a joke, but don’t take time away from communicating your message
• Would your audience tell the story to someone else? – Don’t confuse this with simplicity; the point is to create a group who can spread your message to others
• Have you practiced telling the story to someone else? Don’t test your story on the audience; master the timing by practicing with a friend or colleague

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Diversity of skills and experience is key to making a Social Media Initiative stick.  Many companies rush to staff a social media initiative by assembling a diverse team across functions, experience, and interests.  However, companies need a balance of skills to succeed and often sway to the extremes by staffing either ALL social media experts or ALL organization insiders.

This matrix can help you staff your team by identifying skill gaps, both in social media and in organizational change, that can help you fill key roles in your initiative.

When you are done, ask yourself this question:   “Does this look like a winning Bingo card?”  If yes, then identify your gaps and look to bring in Subject Matter Experts to help strengthen your initiative.

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Organizational Change Skills

Influences senior leadership

• High – Has relationships that can be used to influence change outside a presentation setting
• OK – Presented compelling arguments to senior management

Deep industry experience

• High – Has 10+ years in industry and deep relationships with suppliers and partners
• OK – Has 5+ years in industry and contacts with suppliers and partners

Creates new metrics and communicates their importance

• High – Developed metrics beyond revenue/profit for a new business initiative
• OK – Has used new metrics to inform business decisions

Empathizes with customers

• High – Conducted customer ethnography to develop actionable insights
• OK – Customer facing experience in a sales, service, or marketing function

Rapidly iterates technology projects

• High – Led a major technology initiative requiring quick implementation to requirements changes
• OK – Participated on a technology team to define enhancements and changes

Leverages experience in a corporate change initiative

• High – Has led a major corporate change initiative like Six Sigma or Innovation
• OK – Has participated on a corporate change initiative team as a Subject Matter Expert

Social Media Skills

Understands the details of good content

• High – Has a high traffic website
• OK – Writes content 2-3 times per week

Analyzes qualitative data to determine audience needs

• High – Developed insights from qualitative consumer data
• OK – Collected and understands limits of qualitative data

Surfaces diverse information from online resources

• High –Gathers information from diverse RSS feeds
• OK – Familiar with getting information beyond “Google

Exhibits patience with community detractors

• High – Manages an online community with 100+ members
• OK – Has added to discussions of controversial topics in an online forum

Turns virtual connections into real-world connections

• High – Participates in real-world “meet-ups” of online communities
• OK – Has developed REAL relationships with people met online

Creates buzz through pithy writing

• High – Has a high number of followers on a site like Twitter
• OK – Can write headlines that catch your attention

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