OUR MISSION:
CREATING THE PERFECT COMMUNICATION SETUP FOR EVERYONE!
Because there is nothing worse, than having something amazing to say, but not getting heard!
WE DEDICATE ALL OUR ♡ AND ENERGY TO EQUIP INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO LEVEL UP THEIR POWER OF COMMUNICATION FOR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS, WORLDWIDE*.
COMMUNICATION IS THE UNIVERSAL TOOL THAT CONNECTS, INSPIRES AND DRIVES CHANGE EVERYWHERE!
*… and in the worldwide main languages English, German, Spanish and French. To all our portfolio!
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THE FORMULA:
…and it works in every communication-setup!
THE WHAT:
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CONTENT: We first get to know you and your requirements. We conduct detailed interviews with you and your stakeholders to determine your starting position, but also your call4action. We check what you already have & can do yourself to minimize your costs. Together with you, we then define the learning objective and co-design the best concept for you.
THE WHOM:
YOUR AUDIENCE IN FOCUS: We then focus on your environment (market, competitors, customers, employees, products, challenges, etc) and identify potential fields of action. You then decide in which priority you want to continue and we consult you as a partner. Focussing on the target of your actions.
THE HOW:
AND YOUR DESIRED CALL2ACTION: We present our results and identified gaps to you and prioritize them together with you. We develop proposals for content and formats based on your wishes and needs. To guarantee lasting quality, we carry out a dry run with you before we really get started. After each workshop/session, we use systemic tools to track user feedback and adapt the content accordingly if necessary.
WE SCREEN & CHECK WHAT YOU HAVE & NEED! BOOK A 30min CONSULTANCY CALL, 100% FREE OF CHARGE!
We screen your whole content at the very first beginning. We check the best approach for you, personally and/or professionaly.
- Sometimes, a short support in updating or pimping existing content can already be sufficient.
- Sometimes, dedicated learning sessions on methods, rules and/or tools of the storytelling univers can close the existing gap.
- Sometimes, a learning journey is the best answer to qualifying you and your team to do awesome work yourself, without the need of agencies or consulters in the future.
- Sometimes, it’s just okay if we take over for you, as long as you need us.
We measure the results and then offer the best pick’n’mix for you. And in case you have another mix in mind, we are happy to create a package of exact those elements you really need.
Let’s check together what fits best to you and then you decide how to proceed. Not sure if what we offer fits? Then let’s have that ONE call…
START-WORKSHOPS:
Select, together with us, the best fitting storytelling techniques, methods and tools YOU need (including the wide range of AI), to place the call-to-action to your audience and customers in a successful way. Let’s interactively (co-)create your individual journey corresponding the best needed deepness, length and format (virtual or face-to-face) and ensure, that this is the starting point from where you can take the rest of the journey without us…
LEARNING PATHS:
Start a trip to the full set of how-to-tell-story, regardless if it’s a single day or a two week journey. A mix of sessions and best practices with enough time and place for trying out, finding out and setting up your new and freshly learned skills. Create your slides in excellence by yourself with ypor new and solid baseline of techniques in storytelling. The journey is designed especially for you from the first to the last minute.
SIMPLIFICATION:
Ever wondered how complex stuff is shown, visualized, explained in an easy way? How to simplify content in a way to explain a complex tech topic to non-tech people? All that in a way that it’s understandable, fun, on eye level and sustainable? How to use AI as support and tool to make your life easier? Let’s challenge how to equip you with the skills you need to do so yourself. Let’s transform processes, products, strategy or any other topic into SIMPLE pictures and stories to reach your audience and make your story easy understandable for everyone. In a graphic, One-Pager or pitch…
CONSULTATION:
Leverage your presence, appearance, files, CI/CD and brand to the highest level. In case you need the baseline for it, we create it, together with you. And if you wish, we consult you structurally and organizationally to make you less dependent on visual service providers and agencies. Everything tailor made for you and your processes. Including restructuring involved units in your company to reach the starts.
(and obviously any other topic coming up your mind)…
KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
As single keynote or just as the starting point of a journey: Book a keynote on how storytelling changes everything. Touch its wide range of possibilities and find out which fits best to your needs or let’s design your very own unique one. Perfect for a starting point of a learning journey or as inspirational impulse for you, your employees and your management. Mixing storytelling with skilling and entertainment. I call that STORYTAINMENT.
VISUALIZATION:
Often the reason for not understanding is the missing link or “language” the audience needs. Visualization is the weapon of choice if you want to change that. Let’s do so on stage, in a stream or team meeting. Interactive, tailor-made and, most important, audience focussed.
EXPLANATION:
Do you struggle to get complex topics explained? Do you find it hard to find the right words to set your message? Do you have everything in your mind, but don’t know how to bring the message on a slide, stage or interview?
MODERATION:
Do you want to leverage your event to another level? Let me moderate your event, show, stream, team meeting or workshop with high level empathy, professional humor, creative loops, by merging methods and solution driven activities while focussing on what’s important to you…
MIX THE KEYNOTE:
Find our single elements here, make your choice and let us know. We are happy to start creating…
CHECK METHODS:
Have a look at some methods first and try them out. Some of the best and some of the most efficient methods put together for you.
Regardless if the wish to enhance storytelling skills is for yourself our your staff, we are committed to provide top-notch training and resources to inspire and empower storytellers of all levels.
Join us on exciting tailor-made journeys, long or short, to unlock the fullest potential of storytelling in personal and professional endeavors for you and/or your staff. Multiplying your self-expression and creativity capabilities or by just handing over a slide deck which needs the next level of professionalism.
We will show you working methods, different storytelling structures, alternative techniques, X-industry adaptions (coming from consulting companies, agile & classical project management, movie industry and others), media hygiene & picture world management and how to implement a self-help structure in your own environment for more agency independency.
And in case you just need a partner tonsupport you with your agency interactions, we are happy to do so too.
IN CASE – OR IN DOUBT – OF A MISSING ELEMENT:
LET US KNOW!
What’s your benefit?
“What’s in for me?” is the most valuable question when it comes to time- or money-invest. First main message: Manuel Kiralidis (story53 founder) is in the 5th generation of storytellers (6th coming soon). Experiences in many sections and business have been passed from generation to generation.
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Manuel Kirailidis’s track record and scrolling down some testimonials underline the expertise we offer to you an your audience… In case you’re not fully convinced yet, let’s have a chat to change that!
for multiple companies by using storytelling skills and adaptions to the magic of Pixar’s© storytelling certificate, for businesses world wide!
Here are some of the companies where the joy of working for and with in the past decades was enormous (& the results successful!):
Some original customer quotes after sessions, keynotes, consultations or content & communication design:
To support you to improve YOUR communication skills, we have created a large worldwide network of partners offering their service thru special conditions & prices to cover your needs (thise listed are an extract). We are happy to orchestrate EXACTLY what you need and make you a perfectly matching package quote (no need to approach them yourself, unless you want to).
Providing experience-based educational programs in technology and leadership. GILT aims to equip individuals and organizations with the skills necessary to lead and innovate in these fields.
Open the Hatch to a Humanized workspace. A boutique Human Development Studio enhancing emotional, cognitive and interpersonal competencies.
Lead, Play, Love – Unlocking Your Potential for Success, taking leadership skills to the next level & transforming business into a regenerative organisation that prioritizes human needs.
As a marketing and design agency, CM-D thrives a dedicated focus on increasing the social media range and visibility of products.
Bourke production company conducts every kind of film production imaginable. With their success in directing and producing films for Netflix© and Disney©, they now exclusively offer their full set of skills here. Having offices in Europe, Latin- and North-America, they are just as home in the world as we are!
Offering an holistic service in leadership and team development, specialized in emotional intelligence, team building, and improvisation, NK is the final cut when it comes to improve stage presence for leaders and experts.
A team of professional actors offering lessons and workshops on the power of improvisational acting to teams, leaders and those who need the stage for their (professional) life…
Wanna become part the team too? Get in touch with us!
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Struggling with your presentation? Lost in your dancing steps to the music of your story? Need a beat-giving first-aid-kit?
Here you go:
1) What is your call2action? What do you want those listening to you to do after your story?
2) Who do you want/need to tell the story? Identify and cluster your audience and make a stakeholder analysis.
3) Ask yourself how you could reach and convince every single one/cluster of them by “putting yourself in the shoes of” your audience.
+) Answer the question “What’s in for me?” for every single one. What is the benefit of the audience if they follow your call2action?
++) Which analogy can you use to tell the story in a way that everyone can follow you. Reduce complexity in the story and use an example everyone understands (e.g. going for groceries/shopping, planning vacation, or driving/going to school/work).
And in case you need some support in doing this, get in touch… ;-I
..or find more storytelling METHOD!
(by clicking here)
Stories… They all touch the topic of storytelling in one or another way. Some of them directly and some of them just as second step or third thought. Enjoy the read and let me know your thoughts.
Elections are a tool
Du hast die Wahl! Komplexe Dinge einfach gemacht!
(English version below)
Dank IKEA, haben wir nicht nur fast alle einen Billy in der Wohnung stehen, sondern wissen auch wie Dinge einfach erklärt werden können. Die legendären Bau-Anleitungen sind dafür eine Meisterleistung.
Visualisierung hilft dabei, komplexe Dinge, Prozesse, Produkte, usw. auf das wesentliche zu reduzieren und zu Visualisieren und dadurch einfacher zu verstehen.
Und genau so simpel ist es mit Wahlen. Auch da können wir wählen bei wem wir Lösungen kaufen, die über die Zeit in gute Anleitungen münden.
Und nur weil andere noch keine Lösungen haben, muss man deswegen nicht die schlechteste Lösung wählen! Oder wollt ihr über Jahre auf einen schweren braunen Deutsche-Eiche-Rustikal-Holzklotz sitzen, statt auf eine gemütlichen Couch die in Schweden designed und in Europa gebaut wurde?
Und nein! Früher war nicht alles besser! 😉
@IKEA ich hoffe ihr verzeiht mir die Inspiration die eure Anleitung mir auf die Visualisierung der freien demokratischen Wahl gegeben hat. Wenn ihr es aber als potentielle Urheberrechtsverletzung interpretiert, dann bitte kurze DM und der Post wird sofort gelöscht…
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You have the choice*! Complex things made simple!
Thanks to IKEA, not only do we almost all have a Billy in our homes, but we also know how things can be explained a simpler way. The legendary assembly instructions are a masterpiece in this respect.
Visualization helps to reduce and visualize complex things, processes, products, etc. to the essentials, making them easier to understand.
And it’s just as simple with elections. Here, too, we can choose from whom we buy solutions that lead to good instructions over time.
And just because others don’t have solutions yet doesn’t mean you have to choose the worst solution! Or do you want to sit on a heavy brown German oak rustic wooden block for years instead of a cozy couch designed in Sweden and built in Europe?
And no! Not everything was better in the past 😉
*playing on German words: Choice=Wahl, Election=Wahl… 😉
@IKEA I hope you will forgive me for the inspiration your instructions gave me for the visualization of the free democratic choice. But if you interpret it as a potential copyright infringement, please DM me and the post will be deleted immediately…
#niewiederistjetzt
End & Start with a story
End and start the year with a story!
There are many traditions when it comes to New Year’s Eve. Having a mutual countdown with/in a movie story is a new one with more fans every year…
Here is a selection of stories with this “feature” including their adviced starting time*:
When Harry Met Sally (1989): Start at 22:30:27 to experience the iconic New Year’s Eve confession scene at midnight.
Forrest Gump (1994): Start at 22:38:55 to watch Lieutenant Dan and Forrest celebrate New Year’s in New York City.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018): Start at 21:48:52 to have Thanos’s snap coincide with midnight.
Holidate (2020): Start at 23:36:19 to sync the New Year’s Eve countdown scene.
The Age of Adaline (2015): Start at 22:38:30 to watch the pivotal New Year’s Eve scene align with midnight.
About Time (2013): Two options for this romantic time-travel film: First countdown: Start at 23:56:06 and second countdown: Start at 23:51:24
High School Musical (2006): Start at 23:53:36 to watch Troy and Gabriella’s fateful karaoke meeting.
Back to the Future (1985): Start at 22:19:07 to see the iconic clock tower lightning strike and Marty McFly’s return to 1985.
Alien (1979): Start at 23:03:38 for the chest-burster scene to occur at midnight.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope: Start at 22:02:43 to witness the Death Star explosion as fireworks at midnight.
Indiana Jones Movies: Temple of Doom: Start at 22:55:29 for the pit scene. and Last Crusade: Start at 22:50:25 for Indy’s “squeeze” line.
Dredd (2012): Two options: Start at 23:58:27 to hear “I am the law” or start at 23:34:14 for Mama’s death scene.
Knowing: Start at 22:05:27 to experience the end of the world at midnight.
Titanic (1997): Start at 22:20:00 to witness the fateful iceberg collision or start at 21:35:30 to see the ship’s final plunge at midnight.
Psycho (1960): Start at 22:14:12 to experience the iconic shower scene at midnight.
Casablanca (1942): Start at 22:45:00 to have the powerful Marseillaise anthem scene at midnight. Alternatively start at 22:38:00 to have Rick’s famous goodbye coincide with the New Year.
AND
300: Start the movie at 23:42:25. This will align King Leonidas’s legendary declaration “This is Sparta!” and kick with the stroke of midnight, making an epic start to the new year.
Team Santa or Grinch?
Team Santa or team Grinch?
Santa Claus vs. The Grinch: A tale of 2 Xmas icons
While seemingly opposites, these characters share surprising similarities in their stories and the storytelling techniques used to bring them to life.
Santa Claus: The cuddly gift-giver
Santa Claus, evolving from the historical Saint Nicholas, is portrayed as a portly, jolly man with a white beard, dressed in a red suit. He lives at the North Pole, where elves make toys in his workshop. On Christmas Eve, Santa delivers gifts to children worldwide, traveling in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. Spreading the positivity…
The Grinch: The grumpy gift-taker
Dr. Seuss’s Grinch is a green, solitary creature living on Mount Crumpit, overlooking Whoville. Annoyed by Christmas celebrations, he attempts to stop Xmas by stealing all presents and decorations from the Whos. Spreading the negativity…
But here comes the surprise:
1. Transformation: Both characters undergo significant changes. Santa evolved from St. Nicholas to the modern gift-giver, while the Grinch’s heart grows “three sizes” as he learns the true meaning of Christmas.
2. Magical superpower: Santa has flying reindeer and visits all children in one night, while the Grinch performs seemingly impossible feats of theft.
3. “Personal Brand” impact: Both significantly influence their communities – Santa bringing joy, the Grinch initially causing distress but ultimately fostering unity.
Storytelling techniques:
1. Character/Brand development: Both stories use strong arcs. Santa’s legend grew over centuries, while the Grinch’s transformation occurs within the story.
2. Symbolism: Santa symbolizes generosity and childhood wonder, while the Grinch represents the potential for change and the true spirit of Xmas.
3. Emotions: Both narratives evoke strong emotions – joy and excitement for Santa, initial frustration then heartwarming redemption for the Grinch.
4. Universal themes: Both stories explore themes of kindness, community, and the non-material aspects of celebration.
These parallels in storytelling techniques demonstrate why both Santa Claus and the Grinch have become enduring symbols of the Christmas season, each offering unique perspectives on holiday spirit and human nature. But they also underline how the same techniques came be applied to (Personal) Brand, Products and any other kind of business storytelling, by just making small adaptions…
Ho Ho Oh!
The Santa story
Did you ever ask yourself, why Santa looks like Santa? „It’s historical delivery!“, you might say… Nope, it’s storytelling!
And here comes how a company turned a saint into the jolly red giant we all love today – and it’s quite the tale!
From grumpy to cuddly:
In the 1920s, Coca-Cola faced a chilly challenge – people weren’t drinking much cold soda during winter months as they are in summer. They needed a creative way to make their beverage appealing even when temperatures dropped. Like turning a snowstorm into a snow party, they needed to make cold drinks “cool” in winter.
The genius solution:
Rather than fight the season, Coca-Cola decided to embrace it. In 1931, they hired artist Haddon Sundblom to reinvent Santa’s image. Think of it as giving winter a mascot who just happened to enjoy ice-cold refreshments! Before this, Santa was quite a mixed bag – sometimes appearing as a scary elf, sometimes as a stern-looking fellow (not exactly someone you’d want to share a drink with) or even the scary Krampus, the innocent looking Chistkind, Santa Haraboji loving the color blue, Dun Che Lao Ren with a tree-doll, Hawaiian Kanakaloka, etc…
Here comes the marketing magic:
The transformation was like turning your strict uncle into everyone’s favorite grandpa:
– They used a real retired salesman, Lou Prentiss, as the model
– Created a Santa who looked like he’d give you a hug instead of a lecture
– Made him so real that people wrote letters when his wedding ring went missing in one ad.
Why it worked so well?
Coca-Cola’s Santa became everyone’s Santa because:
– He appeared in cozy, relatable scenes (like raiding refrigerators for a Coke!)
– Kids started leaving Coca-Cola instead of milk after seeing the 1937 ads
– The campaign ran consistently from 1931 to 1964, becoming a holiday tradition
Today, Santa and Coca-Cola are as inseparable as cookies and milk – or should we say, cookies and Coke! The campaign turned a winter sales problem into a marketing miracle that’s still spreading holiday cheer (and selling bottles of sugaring liquids) nearly a century later.
Timing is everything
…also and especially in storytelling.
The timing when you tell a specific things is crucial. Specific topics need to be told in the right timing. Just remenber the last time somebody told your a joke, but told you the punch line at the wrong time. But timing can also makes a difference when it comes to keeping audiences’s focus on what you want them to. And the news of Elvis last living day is a good example:
16.08.1977 Elvis Presley died. This news, was the breaking news of the day! This information reached Germany around 21:25 making it to the “late news”. But the news started as every night. Something about this, something about that, and a bit more of… And just before switching to the weather forecast, it was the time slot for THE news of the day. JUST BEFORE WEATHER FORECAST! You might wonder why…
This is what happened behind the scenes: Dagmar Berghoff, the news anchor of the night, struggled reading the news that night. Mixing up words, missing some accurate intonations and giving the impression to be distracted (and the end everybody knew why). But why did decide for this timing? Because otherwise nobody would have heard or registered any other news of what happened worldwide. “The news that day were important too” and that’s why Elvis’s dead was the last one that day…
Timing is everything! In different ways!
AI in storytelling
YES, there are AI storytelling tools like Tome, Gamma or Pitch…
And NO, it’s not about the obvious and not about these kind of tools.
Because as long as they’re not capable of replicating or implementing YOUR WAY, they are not really useful for TELLING A STORY.
Main issue for companies: There is a lot of AI stuff, but we don’t know what we are allowed to use and how… Therefore I have now concepted a “fast lane” for the use of AI for storytelling.
How and where to use AI for structural support, reverse prompting for the use of almost copyright pictures, transparency not only content wise but also graphical wise, for translation and paraphrasing and for the standard picture and text creation.
But the main twist is on the “how” and “how much” to use these tools and especially to find “your” best working tool.
Heroines
Sometimes storytelling is not making a difference, but you make a difference with storytelling.
The opening ceremony of the olympic games in Paris is an example of how this can be done.
Paris focus was strongly on diversity! This is a responsibility every strong nation, city, company or person should do. And they took it serious!
They created 10 new statues of heroines of French history which emerged from the depths of the Seine: Olympe de Gouges, Alice Milliat, Gisèle Halimi, Simone de Beauvoir, Paulette Nardal, Jeanne Barret, Louise Michel, Christine de Pizan, Alice Guy and Simone Veil and which will be hand over to the city of Paris after games to raise the ratio from 260 male and 40 female statues today to 10 more females statues (still a disbalance).
They recreated and let many other scenes look familiar, but telling another story. Accepting all potential consequences. For that, they deserve the biggest respect, as it was the story they wanted to tell.
Storytelling is everywhere
In the digital age we find ourselves in, it seems as if information is infinite and attention spans are short. Yet an age-old art form has stood the test of time and is more relevant today than ever: storytelling. It’s everywhere – in our personal conversations, in the media, in the business world and even in the social movements that shape our society.
The power of stories in innovation: Take the world of technology and innovation, for example. No matter how groundbreaking a new product or revolutionary an idea may be, without a compelling story behind it, it may never see the light of day. Stories help to make complex technical concepts more accessible and create an emotional connection with people. When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, he wasn’t just showing off a technological device, he was presenting a vision that would change people’s lives. This vision was brought to life by a well-told story.
Storytelling in team communication: Storytelling also plays a crucial role in team communication. Effective leaders use stories to communicate their visions and goals, inspire team members and create a shared identity. Stories can make abstract corporate values and cultures tangible. A manager sharing a personal experience can generate much more engagement and understanding than dry facts and figures.
Storytelling and diversity: Another example is the topic of diversity. Diversity and inclusion are of great importance in modern companies. But how can these complex and sometimes sensitive topics be communicated successfully? This is where storytelling comes into play. Personal stories and experiences can break down barriers, create empathy and promote deeper understanding. They make abstract concepts human and real. When employees share their own stories about their cultural backgrounds, challenges and successes, it can create a strong connection and a common purpose within the workforce.
Summary: Whether it’s a “miracle innovation”, team communication or diversity issue, they all have one thing in common: they need to be communicated correctly to have an impact! Storytelling is the key to this. It’s worth investing and educating yourself in the art of storytelling. Because in a world full of information, it’s the stories that really connect and move us.
Who you gonna call?
The Lasting Impact of “Ghostbusters” on Business Storytelling
When you hear the phrase “Who you gonna call?”, there’s a good chance your mind immediately jumps to “Ghostbusters”. This iconic line from the 1984 movie has ingrained itself in popular culture and our collective memory. But why has this connection endured so strongly over the years? The answer lies in the emotional resonance and the powerful storytelling techniques employed in the film.
“Ghostbusters” premiered at a time when many of us were impressionable teenagers. We experienced the film’s humor, excitement, and mild scares during a formative period of our lives. The strong emotional reactions we had to the movie made it unforgettable. The clever blend of comedy, horror, and adventure created an emotional cocktail that left a lasting impact.
Let’s break down the key storytelling elements that made “Ghostbusters” so memorable and see how these techniques can be applied to business storytelling, especially in presentations and product pitches.
1. Creating Emotional Moments: “Ghostbusters” expertly combines humor with suspense and action, taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster. In business storytelling, creating emotional moments can help your audience connect with your message. Whether it’s through humor, excitement, or nostalgia, tapping into emotions makes your story more engaging and memorable.
2. Clear and Catchy Phrases: The phrase “Who you gonna call?” is simple, catchy, and immediately brings to mind the “Ghostbusters” brand. For your business, using clear and memorable slogans can help reinforce your message. A well-crafted tagline can stick in your audience’s mind long after your presentation is over.
3. Engaging the Audience: “Ghostbusters” involves its audience by making them feel part of the adventure. In a business context, engaging your audience can be achieved by asking questions, involving them in scenarios, or creating interactive elements in your presentation. When your audience feels involved, they are more likely to remember and care about your message.
4. Mixing Emotions: By blending different emotions – humor, fear, relief – “Ghostbusters” creates a rich and dynamic viewing experience. Similarly, in business storytelling, combining various emotional appeals can make your story more compelling. Mix excitement about new opportunities with the urgency of solving a problem, and add in some humor to keep things light and relatable.
Next time you prepare a presentation or craft a product pitch, think like a “Ghostbuster”. Create emotional connections with your audience, use clear and catchy phrases, engage them actively, and mix different emotions to make your story unforgettable.
By harnessing these storytelling techniques, you can make your business presentations as impactful and memorable as a classic movie. Remember, the key to great storytelling is not just in the content but in how you make your audience feel. So, who you gonna call? Call on these storytelling tips to elevate your business communication to the next level.
Wrong turn
Non-voters: The Storytellers with the Wrong Ending
Imagine you’re reading an exciting book. It’s full of fascinating characters, surprising twists, and profound messages. But at the end, you realize that someone has swapped the last chapters, and the story ends completely illogically and unsatisfactorily. That’s what happens when you don’t vote.
Firstly, elections are like writing a book, and your vote is an essential part of the plot. If you don’t vote, you leave others with the right to write the ending. Imagine your favorite hero suddenly turns into a villain for no reason, just because you didn’t help decide how the story continues. Do you really want to let others determine the ending of your story?
Secondly, not voting is like closing the book before the final chapter. You miss the chance to shape the finale. Your vote can be the happy ending you desire or the crucial twist that changes everything. Without it, the story remains incomplete and controlled by others.
Thirdly, the saying “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain” fits perfectly here as well. Non-voters are like readers who complain about the bad ending even though they had the chance to make it better. Do you really want to be the one who constantly gripes about the book but never contributed to its writing?
So, don’t be a passive reader! Go vote and help write the ending of the story. Your vote counts – and perhaps the next chapter will be exactly as you dreamed it would be!
Transformation
Change and transformation needs storytelling crucially
The ability of storytelling to spark transformation and change powerfully helps employers and employees in time changes are mandatory.
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of to be asked, if I could help an organization working in an “HR service business” facing a huge transformation. After deciding they would like to dedicate this phase special resources, I have been asked to support in the implementation of a respective storytelling structure and knowhow. And to support established contact persons and change ambassadors in their growth to the next level in storytelling.
I think, openly speaking, that there is no way, change is avoidable in a business environment, especially in a digital one. However, effective change management needs much more than only strategic preparation and execution. It requires the skill of storytelling on an empathic level.
The baseline for creating an atmosphere where psychological safety and trust may grow—two vital components of any successful transition—is storytelling. Stories can be build to particularly engage people emotionally, level up and unite them. They set the scene, awake empathy, and make the situation understandable bin a state of uncertainty. Leaders may successfully convey the objective of change projects, allay worries, and inspire commitment by creating stories that appeal with those listening.
Furthermore, by humanizing change processes, authentic spoken words makes them approachable and relatable to all. Employees feel empowered to participate to the collective narrative of change when they recognize themselves mirrored in stories of adversity, progress, and perseverance. Most importantly, storytelling can foster a collaborative and safe environment that promotes open debate and feedback loops. Employees are more likely to welcome change and actively contribute to determining its course when they feel acknowledged and appreciated and when they realize that their fears are taking serious.
To be aware of the transformational potential of narrative it need internal or external experts at developing gripping stories that motivate cultural shift and organizational transformation. Methodologies assist organizations in realizing the power of storytelling to build welcoming spaces where diversity is embraced, ideas are exchanged, and creativity flourishes.
Change and transformation needs a credible story.
Diversity
We love and live diversity
Diversity is the baseline for an open and peaceful life on Earth. Therefore I want to make a statement on how story53 will handle it…
Storytelling is the most important thing for us. But just as diverse as a story can be, so is the patchwork of emotions, perspectives, countries, cultures and people of this world. It doesn’t matter whether the stories come from the snowy Scandinavian north, warm latin Buenos Aires, beautiful blue Greece, historic French capital, the smallest metropolis in Germany or from a closet that leads to Narnia.
Since every voice and every story deserves to be heard in the best possible way, we welcome people of all skin colors, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, educational backgrounds, incomes, physical and mental abilities because it is precisely this diversity that makes our world and the stories within so unique and valuable. Discrimination of any kind has no place here! And that’s not just a matter of course, it’s the basic attitude and position for every joint activity.
Together, let’s enrich the world with stories and celebrate the diversity that defines it! And if you don’t know how to do the story part, we’ll be happy to show you, because that’s what we’re all about…
Bio-chemical reactions
The power of women’s way of storytelling: The bio-chemical correlation of Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama.
Storytelling: timeless, fascinating and connecting. But there are almost endless types. And in each, nuances that (can) make a very strong difference: Perspective, perception and realization. And this is where female storytelling often brings a special depth and empathy that enriches and expands the experience for listeners and reduces the “call-to-action hurdle”.
But how does it differ from male storytelling? Described and derived here using the example of two extraordinary women, Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama.
Female “stories” are usually “fuller” in their complexity but also in the nuance of their choice of words. They often describe highs and lows, both directly and indirectly, with a strong focus on emotions and the human element. Men, on the other hand, are more focused on simple and simplified actions and results. They usually leave the bio-chemical bonding with the listener untreated. Through this kind of “hero’s journey” and the focus on direct triumph, they often unknowingly miss the opportunity to add authenticity.
Female storytelling is often different. Oprah Winfrey, for example, was not only able to gain valuable experience herself through her countless shows, but also enhanced them with her own empathy through multimedia and has thus had a lasting inspiring influence on people and played a major role in the social image of the USA.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama, with an equally strong influence on the USA, especially from a woman’s perspective, has used herself and the strength associated with her role from a different perspective. Descriptively, without “self-protection or selfish ulterior motives”, she repeatedly shows not only her own strength but also creates a closeness to other women with her honesty and openness. This opens doors for them to talk about topics such as identity, self-esteem and courage. She then passes on these topics in an understandable way and supports them, almost staging them, to convey these stories and skills, while voluntarily placing herself modestly and confidently in the second row in favor of the overarching story and its messages. She does this in a very authentic way, which makes her extremely approachable.
What both women have in common is the ability to authentically connect with their audience by changing perspectives and telling the story from the audience’s point of view and expectations.
Her successes impressively demonstrate the invaluable power behind the courageous use of her own emotions, empathy and sensitivity. The resulting bio-chemical effect on the people following him helps them to identify more quickly and easily with what they have heard. Storytelling is not only about communicating what needs to be told, but also the opportunity to enhance the content and, above all, the sustainability of an overall message.
Press-Storytelling
The responsibility of press is not only big content-wise, but also telling-wise.
News without storytelling is political, historical, financial or cultural (educational) content that misses the target of being received by the masses.
However, if the formula “what+who=how” is followed, and the news is adapted according to the readers/listeners without distorting the content, then it becomes the news (or documentaries) of which each of us has said “Ah, now I get it!”*. And that is what storytelling is supposed to achieve. If stories that are NOT phrased and structured in a way that they reach the readers/listeners miss their message and thus their impact.
*Try it out and watch a BBC (Terra X for German speakers) documentary you WOULDN’T watch. The effect is outstanding and that’s how good perfect storytelling works!
Founding in Germany
Would I found a company (in Germany)?
YES! That‘s why I did it twice and why I‘m doing it a third time this year again – with story53.com!
YES also to Germany as the country where to found. Even if we as a country can learn a lot from our neighbors about how to do things faster, better and, above all, less bureaucratically.
Why? That‘s what I‘ve been invited to talk about it at a panel discussion at the friedrich nauman stiftung für frieden two weeks ago…
Summary:
Be brave and do it! It‘s a game changer in your professional life from first day on. It‘s the only real way to really embrace your „entrepreneurial-thinking-outside-of-the-box“! There is no better way to see your product in a real profit and loss way while working in a corporate world!
If you’ve reached this point, then you’re at the end of the story53.com page. That means, that the content can’t be too bad, right? So, why don’t we have a chat and see what we can do even better TOGETHER…? 😉
yours,
Manuel Kirailidis (story53 founder)
