Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact

241 Pages·2007·3.732 MB·English

by  Annette Simmons

Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins
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S tory
e s t Wi
B n
s
e
h
t
s
l
l
e
T
How to Use
r
e Your Own Stories
v to Communicate with
e
Power and Impact
o
h
W
Annette Simmons
American Management Association
New York • Atlanta • Brussels • Chicago
Mexico City • San Francisco • Shanghai
Tokyo • Toronto • Washington, D.C.
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Simmons,Annette.
Whoevertellsthebeststorywins:howtouseyourownstoriestocommunicate
withpowerandimpact/AnnetteSimmons.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN-13:978-0-8144-0914-5
ISBN-10:0-8144-0914-8
1. Businesscommunication. 2. Storytelling. I. Title.
HF5718.S562 2007
658.4’52—dc22 2006036889
(cid:2)2007AnnetteSimmons.
Allrightsreserved.
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
Thispublicationmaynotbereproduced,
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adivisionofAmericanManagementAssociation,
1601Broadway,NewYork,NY10019.
Printingnumber
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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DedicatedtoRay Hicks
August29,1922–April21,2003
Thankyouforyourstories.
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
1
Introduction
PARTONE Thinking in Story
1 9
. StoryThinking:WhatDoesThat EvenMean?
2 18
. WhatIsStory?
3 27
. TrainingYourBrain
4 38
. TellingStoriesThat Win
PARTTWO Finding Stories to Tell
5 49
. Who-I-AmStories
6 62
. Why-I-Am-HereStories
7 79
. TeachingStories
8 98
. VisionStories
9 116
. Value-in-ActionStories
10 137
. I-Know-What-You-Are-ThinkingStories
PARTTHREE Perfecting the Craft
11 161
. ExperienceIsSensory
12 175
. TheGiftofBrevity
vii
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viii Contents
13 184
. Brand,Organizational,andPoliticalStories
14 194
. PointofView
15 202
. StoryListening
211
CalltoAction
213
Bibliography
217
Index
225
AbouttheAuthor
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Acknowledgments
My father raised me to be a storyteller. When I was a tyke, he
engaged me with his original fable about a lion and a marmoset
monkey. He encouraged my self-confidence with stories of his
early business exploits (catching minnows), warned me against
rash judgments by describing the dissolution of that enterprise
(one minnow for you, one for me, one for you, one for me. . . .).
Andforalltheotherstoriesyoutoldme,thank youDad.
Mymotherraisedmetobecreative.Iwasneverallowedtosay
‘‘I’mbored.’’IftherewasanewspapernearbyitwasallIneededto
make a pirate hat, papier-mache´ elephant, or cheerleader pom-
poms, to name three of a thousand options. She took me to wa-
tercolor and oil painting classes, arranged piano lessons and even
saved my flute from junior high up until a few years ago, just in
case.BecauseofyouIamneverbored,thankyouMom.
To my loyal friends Sherry and Brandy Decker, thank you for
letting me be your sister. To Casey and Shelby Lake thanks for
lettingmebeyourAuntieNet.
To Pam McGrath and Doug Lipman, how could I have sur-
vivedwithoutyou?
To Meena Wilson, I cherish your friendship and am thrilled
tosee yoursuccess.
To Beth and Jennifer, thank you for watching over Larry and
ix
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