the keepmoving.company

storytelling starts here

Category: Origins

  • The Back Story on Storytelling 🦄

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    by

    mikeswelsh
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    All humans, including you, are storytellers by definition. Even if you believe you aren’t good at [public speaking, talking to strangers, presenting, pitching, etc.], you are genetically designed to be a storyteller; it’s in our DNA. Epigenetically speaking, we are evolved to share stories. Couple historic facts about the origins of human storytelling you may…

  • Dialoging for Diamonds

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    by

    mikeswelsh
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    When it’s time to tell a story, pitch an idea, or have a memorable conversation ion this is one of those tools/techniques. Narrative diamonds shape clear, memorable stories.Why is that? It’s likely because we are, as humans, natural storytellers and story listeners. But there are specific ways to enhance how you prepare and deliver stories;…

  • The Moth StorySLAM

    The Moth StorySLAM

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    by

    mikeswelsh
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    So that one time I did a Storyslam competition, that a colleague put me up to. I had no idea what it even was, just that ‘Mike when you go to happy hour with the team we are going to go from there to the Oberon Theater in Boston’ …you may not even get picked…

  • 3 is more than magic.

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    mikeswelsh
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    Using numbers, you can build the best story, pitch, or presentation or be more precise at parties. Specifically 3 and 5. There is no perfect formula for preparation in storytelling at large. But purpose-driven storytelling and persuasion require some level of repeatable behavior to allow you to do other things off-script. There is a relatively…

  • Arcs (of Uncertaintyâ„¢)

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    mikeswelsh
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    There are many arcs, some called story arcs, arcs of uncertainty, and more. Sometimes, they are not arcs at all. They are lines of thinking. Ways of making an audience follow along, stay interested, and be entertained.

  • Curveball Questions

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    mikeswelsh
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    Do you know that time during a meeting, workshop, interview, or other interaction when a question comes up that catches you off guard and/or disrupts the flow, causes a hot flash, and momentarily stops the storytelling rhythm and flow? Yeah, the classic gotcha, curveball, trick, rhetorical question. I used to hate this; it was a…

  • The Magic Wand

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    mikeswelsh
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    First, do you know when you are decking your way through a meeting with too many cooks, non-combatants, and ‘talkers’ rather than ‘contributors’? You know them; you may even be one. Folks have much to say but need help understanding how to narrate or storytell well. Some of my posts walk around the issues I…

  • The 5 Slide Ruleâ„¢

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    mikeswelsh
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    The 5 Slide Ruleâ„¢ (of thumb) for planning and over-prepping for storytelling success. This is a people, process, and tools article to help anyone who needs another way to get ready potentially. What this ‘rule’ is not What the 5 Slide Rule is: Beginnings Middles and Ends. When story-making, folks often struggle with’ setting the…

  • Strategic Benign Neglect

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    by

    mikeswelsh
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    SBN (Strategic Benign Neglect) is one of the most potent techniques in life, not just in presentations and meetings. The idea is simple and powerful. Do you need to answer every question? Do you need to address everything that comes to you in any form? No. Moreover, you can acknowledge, advance, table, and defer. Acknowledging…

  • Poise, Presence, Posture

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    by

    mikeswelsh
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    The three ‘Ps’ can be even more challenging for folks than the content development inside the 5 Slide Rule™ rubric. As in other posts, I will attempt to break down these concepts and how they work for me as I develop a presentation process as a coping mechanism to deal with my own agoraphobia issues.