Greetings,
I write this as I recently attended a Technology Event, where I heard many different leaders speaking on technical skills, challenges and business.
When we attend such events, our only goal is to find out what the leader thinks on the topic. However, we also sell the concept of good communicators, as good story tellers . Here are few downsides, that I saw to it:
The story telling made the topic vague . The crux was almost lost in places, where techniques required to be shared.
Many of us looked unglued, as the stories were good, yet predictable
Data was weaved to build an effective story. However, the absence of analysis killed the speech.
Few technical questions which required the speakers to drill down , were openly dodged . This all the more, created a loss of interest .
I understand story telling has its own merits. Unless a content can connect with the audience, the speaker will fail to deliver. Thats exactly my point, do we always need stories to connect? Or are data and analysis can keep us glued ?
Looking forward to hear from our communications experts.
From India, Mumbai
1858I write this as I recently attended a Technology Event, where I heard many different leaders speaking on technical skills, challenges and business.
When we attend such events, our only goal is to find out what the leader thinks on the topic. However, we also sell the concept of good communicators, as good story tellers . Here are few downsides, that I saw to it:
The story telling made the topic vague . The crux was almost lost in places, where techniques required to be shared.
Many of us looked unglued, as the stories were good, yet predictable
Data was weaved to build an effective story. However, the absence of analysis killed the speech.
Few technical questions which required the speakers to drill down , were openly dodged . This all the more, created a loss of interest .
I understand story telling has its own merits. Unless a content can connect with the audience, the speaker will fail to deliver. Thats exactly my point, do we always need stories to connect? Or are data and analysis can keep us glued ?
Looking forward to hear from our communications experts.
From India, Mumbai
Dear (Cite Contribution),
I do agree sometimes stories might fail. However the speaker should select a story to sum up or relate the concept with the objective. If you carefully pay attention to great speakers in the corporate, spiritual gurus, Political leaders there is always a story that adds value to their content.
I have been attending to many training programs as a trainer, I have experienced good stories and unrelated stories.
to put in simple words there is nothing called a bad story: it is only an irrelevant story, like that there is nothing called a bad story teller: it is only untrained story teller
From India, Chennai
I do agree sometimes stories might fail. However the speaker should select a story to sum up or relate the concept with the objective. If you carefully pay attention to great speakers in the corporate, spiritual gurus, Political leaders there is always a story that adds value to their content.
I have been attending to many training programs as a trainer, I have experienced good stories and unrelated stories.
to put in simple words there is nothing called a bad story: it is only an irrelevant story, like that there is nothing called a bad story teller: it is only untrained story teller
From India, Chennai
Thankyou Narendra Kumar,
You rightly pointed out , how story telling is important to build a connect and subjectivity. Guess , this is what we need to keep in mind while communicating.
Situations that requires analysis and technical data, might need to leave at it . Whereas deep tales connecting a larger mass of people , will require intricate story telling. Thankyou for your insights. Wish you a lovely Sunday !
From India, Mumbai
You rightly pointed out , how story telling is important to build a connect and subjectivity. Guess , this is what we need to keep in mind while communicating.
Situations that requires analysis and technical data, might need to leave at it . Whereas deep tales connecting a larger mass of people , will require intricate story telling. Thankyou for your insights. Wish you a lovely Sunday !
From India, Mumbai
Dear (Cite Contribution),
Thanks for sharing your experience. It is not only just experience but you are have come up with downside of the story telling as well.
What matters is presentation skills. "Story-telling" is one of the tools of presentation skills. However, it is not the only tool of presentations.
if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail , is a famous quote of Abraham Maslow. Speakers of the seminar that you attended tried hammering stories on the audience. In the bargain wood was missed for the trees.
I do not wish to give political example. However, person none less than Shri Rahul Gandhi did the same mistake in his recent speech at CII meet at Delhi. Lot is written about this speech in print media or spoken about the speech in electronic media. The audience was big shots of corporate India. His entire speech was incoherent and contained misfit stories as well.
If heir apparent for the post of president of the biggest political party does this kind of goof up, who are those ordinary folks in the technical seminar that you attended?
Anyway, thanks once again for sharing the experience. I request other participants to share their own experiences as well.
Thanks,
Dinesh V Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Thanks for sharing your experience. It is not only just experience but you are have come up with downside of the story telling as well.
What matters is presentation skills. "Story-telling" is one of the tools of presentation skills. However, it is not the only tool of presentations.
if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail , is a famous quote of Abraham Maslow. Speakers of the seminar that you attended tried hammering stories on the audience. In the bargain wood was missed for the trees.
I do not wish to give political example. However, person none less than Shri Rahul Gandhi did the same mistake in his recent speech at CII meet at Delhi. Lot is written about this speech in print media or spoken about the speech in electronic media. The audience was big shots of corporate India. His entire speech was incoherent and contained misfit stories as well.
If heir apparent for the post of president of the biggest political party does this kind of goof up, who are those ordinary folks in the technical seminar that you attended?
Anyway, thanks once again for sharing the experience. I request other participants to share their own experiences as well.
Thanks,
Dinesh V Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Thankyou Dinesh,
For adding on to this conversation. I echo the message and the example you shared. When a formula works , its often sold too far and wide.
Identifying where the skill wouldn't be required, is the key. Panchatantra was good to send a message. A research analysis remains a message of its own.
From India, Mumbai
For adding on to this conversation. I echo the message and the example you shared. When a formula works , its often sold too far and wide.
Identifying where the skill wouldn't be required, is the key. Panchatantra was good to send a message. A research analysis remains a message of its own.
From India, Mumbai
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