Storytelling is not something that everyone gets right
all the time. I have been in situations where the stories I have tried to tell
fall flat and also have been the recipient of stories that miss their mark. Though we may think we are great storytellers and communicators, we could
always become more engaging and entertaining storytellers. This week I had the
pleasure of viewing two videos regarding how to tell a great story while
gaining and keeping the attention of the audience. In the video entitled “How
to speak so that people want to listen”, Julian Treasure offers his seven
deadly sins of speaking and his four cornerstones of communication (Quicktalks,
2016). The video entitled “Kevin Hart’s 3 Secrets to Hilarious Storytelling”
discusses three tips to great storytelling (Charisma, 2016). The concepts and
ideas discussed in these two videos will be useful for any future storytelling
or presentations that I must perform.
Two of the deadly sins that Treasure hinted to stay
away from were exaggerations and excuses (Quicktalks, 2016). Most people view
the things that happen to them in two ways. An individual with an external
locus of control believes things happen due to fate, chance, or luck where an
individual with an internal locus of control believes the things that happen to
them were a result of the choices they made (Bailey, 2014). Though I have an
internal locus of control, I still tend to make excuses from time to time.
Treasure stated that “some people have a blame thrower” (as cited by
Quicktalks, 2016, 0:30).
I would not consider myself a blame thrower, but I
have noticed times where I do not accept the consequences of my actions and try
to pin them on bad luck. I must be accountable, but also must be aware of the
instances where I am not accountable so this deadly sin can be eliminated. If I
eliminate the excuses in my daily life and conversations, then I will not
incorporate them into future presentations.
Another habit that I have is using exaggeration as a
way to capture the attention of my audience. However, Treasure stated that
exaggeration can be demeaning to our language (Quicktalks, 2016). In future
conversations, I must be cognizant of the times I exaggerate as a method of
gaining attention. Instead of embellishing, maybe I could tell a joke as a
method of apprehending the attention of my audience.
Kevin Hart is not only a great entertainer; he is also
a magnificent storyteller. Three tips to becoming a great storyteller are (a)
do not start a story before gaining the attention of the audience, (b)
committing to your story, and (c) experimenting with the content (Charisma,
2016). At one point in the video, Kevin Hart was sitting with several men who
were all talking over each other. Kevin wanted to say something but when he
began his comment, he was cut off. Instead of continuing his story, he waited
until the individuals were silent and looking at him. He was able to capture
their attention before he began his story which allowed his words to have a
greater impact.
McKay, Davis, & Fanning (2009) stated that during
a speech you must be aware of your audience. While delivering your speech,
watch your audience for frowns, restless movements, laughter, people looking at
their phone, or people talking amongst each other. Kevin Hart showed that he is
an expert regarding the audience. He is able to take their actions or reactions
and use it to his advantage while telling his stories. This is an area in which
I struggle! I mentioned in this week’s discussion that paying attention to the
content instead of the audience allows me to reduce my stage fright. Though
ignoring the audience may help me get over my fear of presentations, it does
not help to create an entertaining story or presentation. I may be able to
increase the strength of my presentation and also maintain the attention of the
audience if I watch and listen to their reactions.
McKay et al. (2009) stated that over fifty percent of
the impact of a message is measured by body movements and facial expressions.
So, over half of the meaning of your words are judged by your non-verbal cues! Kevin
Hart is able to commit to his stories with gestures, body language, and by
incorporating characters. The body language he uses in his stories is in line
with the message he is attempting to deliver. Body language is not one of my
strong suites. I have been told many times by my family, friends, or girlfriend
that my words are not in line with my non-verbal cues. I may say that I am happy to be somewhere but
my closed body language indicates otherwise. I must be careful when telling
stories or delivering presentations in the future to be aware of my body
language. If I am constantly sending mixed messages then I could lose my
audience early in the presentation.
McKay et al. (2009) stated that the face is the most
expressive part of the body. I do not have a habit of using facial expressions
to convey a message, so I must be more cognizant of the message it is sending.
Kevin Hart and other great comedians or storytellers utilize their face to
drive home their point. Horton (2016) discussed the power of facial expressions
used by Stephen Spielberg to create great stories. Remember the look on the face of the children
in Jurassic Park when the dinosaur was chasing them. You can say ‘I am scared’
but the look of fear on an individual’s face is much more impactful. I must
work to incorporate my message in my facial expressions.
McKay et al. (2009) argued that gestures are also an
impeccable method to convey your message. Kevin Hart uses gestures in order to
get the full impact of his stories (Charisma, 2016). As he is speaking he is
moving his hands in order to draw attention to what he is saying. His gestures
become an ally utilized to strengthen his message. I have a habit of not using
many gestures while talking. In order to strengthen my storytelling and future
presentations, I need to take a page from the great storytellers and
incorporate gestures into my delivery.
The final tip to become a great storyteller like Kevin
Hart is to experiment (Charisma, 2016). The reason individuals such as Kevin
Hart and Amy Schumer are so spot on in their storytelling is that they have
experimented and practiced their jokes in an effort to understand what gets a
reaction. They take note where people become intrigued by their story and make
sure to recreate that moment the next time they tell the story. This is a tip
that I could use in developing my communication and storytelling skills. If I
am able to understand what makes people laugh or what creates interest in their
mind then I can use this information to become a better communicator and
presenter.
As I watched the two videos and completed the readings
this week, I began to wonder how I capture the attention of my audience when I
am speaking or presenting. I began to contemplate if I pay attention to my
timbre and register as mentioned by Treasure (Quicktalks, 2016). Do I use facial
expressions and gestures to grab the attention of the audience? As revealed
earlier in this post, no, I do not. I came to the sad conclusion that I do not
make an effort to gain the attention of the audience. I have always been so worried
about getting through the presentation that I have not worried about how the
presentation was received by the audience. I have always been more concerned with me than I was with the audience. This is something that must change moving forward. I am hopeful that I can utilize
some of the tips offered to not only gain the attention of the audience but
hold their attention while delivering an effective presentation.
References
Bailey, S. (2014). How changing your mind can make you
feel happier, earn more and live longer. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/sebastianbailey/2014/09/17/how-changing-your-mind-can-make-you-feel-happier-earn-more-and-live-for-longer/#7e2358f915e6
Charisma on Command.
(2016). Kevin Hart’s 3 secrets to hilarious storytelling. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn_L4OPU_rg
Horton, A.P. (2016). Worth a thousand words: Facial
expressions and the storytelling of Steven Spielberg. Retrieved from https://filmschoolrejects.com/worth-a-thousand-words-facial-expressions-and-the-storytelling-of-steven-spielberg-825bf835150c/
McKay,
M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages:
The communication skills book. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Quicktalks.
(2016). How to speak so that people want to listen | Julian Treasure (Ted Talk Summary). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEkEAFaV818
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