How to inspire others through storytelling
By Mary Shackleton, District 7230 Endowment/Major Gifts subcommittee chair
Do you have an answer ready if you are asked, Why Rotary? Even seasoned Rotary members struggle to answer this seemingly basic question if we’re honest with ourselves, especially when speaking with prospective members. We inundate prospects with lists of what we do and proud accounts of how we do it, instead of helping them figure out why they might want to check out our next club meeting or service project in the first place.
Don’t feel bad. Simon Sinek, a notable speaker and author on business leadership, points out, the way our brain processes language can make finding our “why” difficult. Sharing effective stories is one way we can get around this anatomical roadblock. My journey in Rotary and Toastmasters has convinced me that telling effective stories is imperative for our growth as membership organizations. We all have stories to tell – those inspiring Rotary “moments.” And we can all learn to be better, even great, storytellers.
In April, I had the privilege of moderating a joint webinar produced by Rotary International and Toastmasters International, Connect & Inspire Through Storytelling. The distinguished panelists agreed that we must express ourselves through stories more often.
Nikita Williams, a Toronto Rotarian and Toastmaster, observed that good stories connect across every demographic and cultural boundary. Nikita emphasized creativity and personal adaptation. She compared selecting story elements to share to the process of choosing toppings for a pizza. Maybe even include pineapple!
Verity Price, the 2021 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking shared a clever pneumonic device to help us remember the elements of a great story – HOME. A
Hero faces an
Obstacle, then finds a
Mentor, and
Emerges successfully.
She also emphasized the importance of simplicity, editing, and practice.
According to Verity, the elements of a great story are like the number of blocks in a winning Jenga tower, just enough to keep it structurally sound.
In another analogy, Verity talked about making breakfast for her son. She may keep the first pancake for herself, because it’s usually not one of her better efforts. Similarly, the first attempt or two at sharing your story may not be ready for prime time, but practice can make it perfect.
Mike Carr, 2020 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking, urged us to emphasize the humanity and humor in our stories, making what you say relatable to your audience up to the point of envisioning themselves as the hero of the stories you tell. The more vulnerability and authenticity you can bring to your story, the better, he advised.
So here’s our call to action, as Nikita puts it. We all have stories to share, so we must find our unique voices and tell our stories in every space that we’re in.
To practice and get inspired, why not make it an agenda item at your next Rotary meeting to ask members to share their Rotary moments? You and the members of your club will then be ready to share a great story with a prospective member who asks, “Why Rotary?”
https://blog.rotary.org/2024/08/15/tips-from-a-rotary-toastmasters-webinar/