On this episode of When Science Speaks, host by Mark Bayer dives into the world of storytelling with guest Chris Hare, exploring the impact and importance of a high-impact storytelling approach Chris has developed and used with his clients called “Atomic Storytelling.”
Episode Highlights:
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The Quest for Effective Storytelling: Mark and Chris kick off the episode discussing the widespread discussion on storytelling and the lack of informed advice. Chris introduces the concept of Atomic Storytelling and its transformative power.
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Chris’s Journey with Microsoft: Chris shares a pivotal moment in his career, working on a project for Microsoft and discovering the effectiveness of content derived from successful developers.
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The Pitfalls of Manufacturing Stories: The duo explores the common challenge of manufacturing stories and emphasizes the need for genuine, impactful narratives in business contexts.
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Atomic Storytelling in Action: Chris provides a practical example involving a defibrillator company, illustrating how Atomic Storytelling can create a powerful emotional connection.
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Balancing Emotion and Rationality: Mark and Chris discuss the importance of blending emotional and rational elements in storytelling, especially in B2B contexts.
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Overcoming Storytelling Challenges: Chris addresses the common belief that not everyone is a natural storyteller, emphasizing the learnable nature of storytelling skills.
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The Scientist’s Strength in Vision: Chris highlights the strength scientists possess in envisioning the future and emphasizes the importance of sequencing and storytelling to bring others along on the journey.
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Brian Janous’s Journey at Microsoft: An intriguing anecdote about Brian Janous’s mission to make then-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer understand and appreciate the energy vision at Microsoft, showcasing the persistence required in long-term storytelling.
- Unveiling the Narrative at Amazon: Chris discusses Amazon’s narrative of being data-driven and its potential limitations. The story unfolds as he reveals a crucial insight about the third-party seller side and the initial focus on resellers. The pivotal shift occurs when a VP starts meeting with sellers, leading to the discovery that brand owners drive a significant portion of Amazon’s business.
- The Human Connection in Storytelling: Emphasizing the importance of understanding data while maintaining a broader perspective. Chris highlights the role of continuous human connection and the value of not relying solely on data-driven insights.
- Embracing Imperfections in Stories: Acknowledging the messiness of stories and the common misconception that a story must be perfect. Sharing a personal coaching session experience that emphasized the power of authenticity and imperfection in storytelling.
- Co-Creation and Feedback: Advocating for involving stakeholders in the storytelling process.
Encouraging feedback and collaboration to enhance the narrative and ensure internal alignment within organizations. - Exploring whether a good story can overcome poor delivery and vice versa.
Chris shares a personal experience of overcoming a challenging delivery by grounding the presentation in powerful storytelling. - The Moth Experience: Recommending listening to storytelling platforms like The Moth and 99 Percent Invisible to understand diverse storytelling styles.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Guest Chris Hare’s LinkedIn profile
Chris’s podcast, The Storied Future
