Stories that stick: Finding a story that demonstrates your uniqueness

Look beyond your work life to find a story that brings your uniqueness into focus.

A few weeks after the launch of What’s Your Story?, a handbook on business storytelling that I co-authored, I got a call from a business leader who had read the book. He had a story to share with me.

He started off by recalling his childhood and how he grew up in a modest house that he shared with his siblings and parents. His parents worked hard to afford the small luxuries in life. As a family, they would often have discussions over what purchases they were allowed and whether those were necessary, and everything was kept to a minimum to save costs. The only thing that was never debated was food. His mother kept a full kitchen and always told her children to eat as much as they wanted. Except there was one rule - they were not to waste a morsel of food.

He then went on to tell me that this childhood lesson stayed with him. When he grew into the role of business leader he found that the most inspiring quality he brought to the table was zero wastage - be that in staff strength, marketing dollars, promotions, equipment, office space or really any aspect of business. He repeated his childhood time and again to multiple managers when he was confronted with wastage.

Telling stories to tackle problems worked effectively because it ceased to be a suggestion or an instruction. It became something that was relatable, with a strong emotional connection.

Also read: What’s location got to do with your social media strategy?

We all have stories in us. The story that defines who we are, what our values are and what makes us unique. Trouble is, we rarely pause to find that story. Numbed by years of corporate speak, we tend to rattle off adjectives that describe us and our co-workers alike - hardworking, resourceful, ethical, go-getter, team player and attributes that tick boxes but fail to demonstrate how we are unique.

Stop and think. Can you find the story - from your childhood, or adulthood to describe that quality to others? When was the time you showed you could work hard, or that you had integrity? It doesn’t have to be a story from your work life. It can be a story from any stage of your life. And perhaps there are multiple such stories. Pick the story that demonstrates that characteristic and learn to tell it well, with confidence and conviction. See what that does. Typically, you will find that people will remember your story effortlessly long after you have told it.

That’s because stories help us imagine the situation as it is described and emotionally connect to it and when we connect to people emotionally, we tend to remember them.

So learn to tell that story the next time you are asked about yourself. Stories don’t bite, they stick. Make them work for you.

Also read: Kill jargon, before jargon kills your message