How are we influenced? Many things influence what we think and feel, and leaders have studied various tools to influence, teach and inspire. It has been scientifically proven that storytelling is one of the most powerful means that leaders, salesmen, and teachers can use to influence their followers. In fact, storytelling is 22 times more memorable than facts!
The neural activity in the brain increases five times, when someone is told a story, over just giving someone a bunch of facts. The brain lights up like a switchboard. I often hear journalists say "Facts Matter." Do they really?
If facts really mattered, wouldn't everyone be wearing a mask? The fact is, that wearing a mask saves lives, yet many people listen to stories that make them believe otherwise.
Listen to great salesmen and community leaders. The most successful ones are storytellers. For example, Joe Biden loves to tell stories about his childhood in Scranton. People remember those stories, relate to him more on a personal level because there's a story behind the man. If he just spewed a lot of facts rather than weaving a story, he would be less effective. Great salesmen are always telling stories. Rather than just present the product to the customer, they build trust and comraderie through storytelling.
My father was a great storyteller. He used to tell me stories when I was young, then continued the tradition with my kids. He would make up stories about war, surviving in the jungle alone, sea stories, but he would always mix in a bit of history, so he got my children engaged in an exciting story while teaching them history! They would remember everything, but if you put the same information in a history book, most of it would not be absorbed
So watch for influencers that are storytellers. They are the ones that people are likely to listen to and believe. Facts are important, but everyone loves a good story.
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