The audiobook edition of Unleash the Power of Storytelling is now on sale!
Learn how to use stories to advance your career, build your business and improve your life — all while driving or working out or shopping.
Look for it at your favorite audiobook retailer:
Narrated by the Author (That’s Me)
If you’ve heard me speak and like the sound of my voice, this is the audiobook for you. If you haven’t, perhaps you’re in for a pleasant surprise.
The recording process was fun, though a bit exhausting. I got to summon all my training as an actor and professional speaker and tell some of my favorite stories in the way I intended them to be told.
And I was under the steady guidance of a professional producer, who pushed me to keep my energy from flagging, hit all the right notes and deliver a compelling listener experience.
This was my second go-round with audiobook recording, and I learned then that every writer should take the time to read their words aloud, whether recording an audiobook or not.
It’s a great way to catch and correct awkward phrasing and repetitive prose. In fact, this time I did a full read aloud for this very purpose well before the book went to press.
Unabridged and Packed with Stories and Tips
This is the full book — all 30,000 words — with everything you get in the print and ebook editions (plus my sonorous narration).
One of the reviewers called it a “cradle to grave” guide to storytelling, which is a great way to put it. It’s comprehensive and practical, breaking down the storytelling process into simple terms and offering step-by-step instructions for using stories in a variety of settings, from job interviews to presentation to sales calls. It’ll even help you craft the right story for a eulogy!
It’s also loaded with tons of examples of great business stories that bring the lessons to life.
Here is the Table of Contents, which gives a glimpse of all the invaluable content inside.
INTRODUCTION:
Why Storytelling is Essential to Success
In an age of information overload, stories rise above the noise and intensify the impact of your ideas.
PART ONE: STORYTELLING ESSENTIALS
Chapter 1: What Makes Stories so Powerful?
The brain science behind storytelling and six essential ingredients that give stories their unparalleled power.
Chapter 2: What is a Story?
With the right tools, anyone can tell a story. A simple three-part story structure, plus five ways to bullet-proof your stories.
Chapter 3: How to Create a Story
A five-step process for crafting your stories, and six ways to ensure they’re relevant to your audience.
Chapter 4: Emotion Fuels Stories
Winning hearts is the key to changing minds. How to tap into your story’s emotional core.
Chapter 5: Stories at Work
Real-life examples of different kinds of stories, told for different purposes, to different audiences.
PART TWO: ADVANCED STORYTELLING
Chapter 6: How to Focus Your Story
Just as important as what goes in to a story is what you leave out. Seven ways to cut the clutter.
Chapter 7: How to Preserve the Integrity of Your Stories
Storytelling is about making hard choices and trusting that your audience will “get it.” Advice on protecting the power of your stories.
Chapter 8: How and Where to Find Great Stories
Don’t settle for telling other people’s stories — great stories are all around us. Here are six ways to discover them.
Chapter 9: Story’s Cousins: Comparison, Analogy, and Metaphor
Sometimes mistaken for stories, these figures of speech fire our imagination in much the same way. Use them to boost audience understanding and retention.
Chapter 10: The Dark Side of Storytelling
The tyranny of the narrative, blurred reality, and the Brian Williams effect — how to successfully navigate these common hazards.
PART THREE: APPLIED STORYTELLING
Chapter 11: How to Tell Your Company’s Origin Story
Every organization needs a story explaining how and why it was founded and communicating its purpose and values. Here’s how seven companies tell theirs.
Chapter 12: How to Use Stories in a Presentation
Stories should be the centerpiece of any presentation. Guidelines for weaving them into your content, plus five tips for delivering your stories effectively.
Chapter 13: How to Tell Your Own Story
Don’t get caught flat-footed when someone asks, “What’s your story?” Constructing your career narrative for meetings and job interviews.
Chapter 14: How to Tell Your Personal Brand Story
Stories can help you communicate your value and stand out from the crowd. How to figure out your brand and capture it in a story.
Chapter 15: How to Use Story for a Toast, Tribute, or Eulogy
The toughest story you’ll ever tell. A lesson from Paul McCartney, plus fifteen tips for composing your content — and yourself.
CONCLUSION:
Stand Up, Stand Out
What Ricky Gervais can teach us about six critical storytelling principles.
Three Hours to Better Storytelling
Clocking in at just over three hours, Unleash the Power of Storytelling is an easy, but substantive, listen that will put you on your way to becoming a more skilled and powerful storyteller — which can help you wow any audience and get more of what you want from your career and your life.
