Phron Monthly #2: Unlocking the Power of Storytelling

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the second edition of Phron Monthly! Last month, I set an ambitious goal to spend at least 20 minutes a day, six days a week, working on my storytelling skills. In this newsletter, I will explain how pursuing the goal went and what I learned.

How the Storytelling Progress Went

Overall, the practice of storytelling was beneficial and allowed me to explore different approaches to communication. In the past, I hesitated to try various methods in my conversations because I thought they might come off as awkward, or I feared being judged. For example, I believed that using basic, familiar frameworks in conversations would seem robotic or cliché. However, through practice, I discovered that the structure is easy to follow and sounds perfectly natural. Therefore, challenge yourself to try new ways of speaking and accept that it may feel a bit awkward at first.

My growth in storytelling focused on verbal techniques, but many principles still apply to written storytelling. I bet you didn't realize I used one of the frameworks in the last paragraph! Let's dive into the techniques and personal tricks I learned from last month's challenge.

Key Principles of Storytelling

Storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of communication. It acts as a bridge between knowledge and emotion, logic and imagination. Whether in a corporate setting, a casual conversation, or a public speech, storytelling helps us frame ideas, engage audiences, and leave a lasting impression. At its core, storytelling answers the question: What message do I want my listeners to remember?

Here, I explore practical frameworks to enhance spontaneity and structured delivery. While the focus is primarily on verbal storytelling, there is overlap between written and oral storytelling, particularly in structuring narratives and engaging audiences. It's also important to note that these insights stem from personal practice rather than an extensive study of storytelling research.

1. Understanding the Purpose of Your Story

Every great story serves a purpose — whether to entertain, persuade, inspire, or educate. Throughout my practice, I realized I wasn't clear about my purpose. Being clear about your purpose allows you to focus and effectively achieve your goal. Before crafting a story, ask yourself:

• Why am I telling this story?
• What reaction do I want from my audience?
• What lesson, insight, or emotional impact do I want to leave them with?

Furthermore, stories are more engaging when they address a fundamental question: What is going to change? Change — whether in perspective, emotion, or understanding — is at the heart of a compelling narrative, as we have evolved to be captivated by change.

2. Structuring Your Story

A well-structured story follows a basic framework that includes:

• Opening - A priming statement that hooks the audience (e.g., "This reminds me of a time when...", "Imagine this...").
• Body - The main story, incorporating conflict, imagery, and dialogue.
• Closing - A takeaway or resolution, which may be discovered in the moment and involve a lesson, insight, or question for reflection.

Following this basic framework provides your story with a captivating, logical structure that your audience can easily follow. When you're sharing a brief story during a conversation, an effective approach for structuring a short yet engaging narrative is the Two-Minute Tale. Start with the story using the basic framework and then relate it back to the topic of conversation. This tale can be utilized in casual settings when someone asks about a specific subject.

A technique I found helpful for organizing supporting points is the Past-Present-Future approach. Rather than listing points as "first, second, third," you can structure supporting points as a progression through time.

3. The Four Pillars of Storytelling

A compelling story consists of four key elements:

• Emotion - Engage the audience's emotions to make the story memorable. Identify a core emotion behind the story and invite the users to feel that emotion.
• Dialogue - Bring characters to life through natural, relevant speech.
• Imagery - Use sensory descriptions to help listeners visualize the story. Appeal to the audience's five senses so they can experience the story. Use a simile to link objects and make an abstract idea memorable and interesting.
• Conflict - Every great story has challenges, tension, or obstacles to overcome.

4. The Role of Conflict in Storytelling

Conflict serves as the driving force behind every compelling story. The main character must overcome obstacles to reach their goal, which makes the audience invested in the outcome. Conflict can take various forms, including:

• Character vs. Character
• Character vs. Themselves
• Character vs. Nature
• Character vs. Object
• Character vs. Organization

A compelling narrative introduces conflict early, escalates it, and ultimately resolves it to deliver a satisfying conclusion.

5. Audience-Centered Approach

Great storytellers shift their focus from themselves to the audience. By considering the audience's interests, backgrounds, and emotions, you can create a more engaging and relevant experience. This mindset also helps eliminate mental barriers by directing attention away from yourself, making delivery more natural and fluid.

Improvisation: The Art of Thinking on Your Feet

Improvisation and storytelling go hand in hand. While storytelling benefits from structure, improvisation enhances adaptability. Focusing on improvisation was crucial in building my confidence in storytelling, as I often worried about not having a perfect answer prepared. A great storyteller must be able to adjust their delivery based on the audience's response, the context, or even their own spontaneous insights.

1. Impromptu Speaking Frameworks

To enhance spontaneous storytelling and structured thinking, you can utilize frameworks. Frameworks enable you to concentrate on your message while ensuring your story maintains a clear structure. Consider these four frameworks:

• PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point) - Ideal for presenting a point.
• BAB (Belief, Action, Benefit) - Useful for expressing opinions in corporate scenarios.
• EAT (Emotion, Anecdote, Technique) - Designed for emotionally resonant speeches, such as toasts or thank-you speeches.
• STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) - Great for showcasing your abilities in an interview.

A good habit when speaking impromptu is to begin by asking: Who is my audience, and what message do I want my listeners to remember? From there, choose the appropriate framework, stay positive, and make sure to end on time.

2. Practical Exercises for Thinking on the Spot

To enhance your ability to think on your feet, consider the following exercises:

• Stream of Consciousness Exercise: Talk for two minutes continuously about a subject without stopping. This exercise was my favorite as I often do not know what to say. This exercise helps remove the inner censor and eliminates brain freeze.
• Yes, And… Exercise: Build upon ideas without rejecting them. This exercise is a fundamental improv technique that helps develop engaging stories dynamically.
• Speed Simile Exercise: Strengthen your ability to simplify abstract concepts by practicing filling in the blank: “[Emotion] is like a [random object] because _____.”
• More Color Exercise: Build muscle memory for adding vivid details by describing an object in increasing depth.

3. Bringing It All Together: Crafting a Compelling Narrative

Compelling storytelling combines structured elements with the ability to adapt. When preparing or delivering a story, keep these steps in mind:

1. Identify Your Core Message - What do you want your audience to remember? The message will be your motivation and takeaway for your audience.
2. Choose a Framework - Whether it's the Two-Minute Tale, PREP, BAB, or EAT, select a format that fits the scenario. A logical structure will engage your audience.
3. Incorporate Emotion, Dialogue, Imagery, and Conflict - These elements bring stories to life.
4. Stay Positive and End on Time - Whether improvising or delivering a structured story, brevity and optimism are key for impact.
5. Refine Through Practice - Engage in exercises that strengthen spontaneous storytelling and narrative construction. Find what exercises work best for you; what is usually most uncomfortable contains the most growth.

Although these insights arise from personal experience, they only reflect a small segment of the expansive realm of storytelling. By mastering storytelling and improvisation, you enhance your ability to communicate with clarity, persuasion, and emotional depth — whether in casual conversations, corporate meetings, or public speeches.

Bonus Tip

Listen to Your Recordings

In the past, I underestimated the value of listening to my practice recordings. Recording myself responding to a prompt or storytelling allowed me to explore various techniques. I would speak, and after that, I would see the lengthy timestamp of the recording and think to myself, “Listening would take too long and wouldn't benefit me.” However, my perspective changed after I listened to one of my practice recordings last month. I was surprised by the tendencies I discovered that had previously gone unnoticed. By listening to my recordings, I accelerated my growth, and I highly recommend you do the same.

This Month's Goal

This month, I've set a goal to spend at least 10 minutes a day, six days a week, visualizing. Visualization is a proven technique that top athletes and performers use to enhance focus and execution. Research shows that mental imagery can activate the same neural pathways as actual practice—one study even found that people who imagined exercising increased strength by 13.5%! Michael Phelps visualized every race, including potential obstacles, which helped him win Olympic gold even when his goggles filled with water. Novak Djokovic mentally rehearses matches to sharpen his reactions. Yet, I've tried it and found little success. I struggled with overthinking it; maybe that's why it hasn't clicked. This month, I'm testing different approaches and will share my takeaways in next month's issue. If you've had success (or struggles) with visualization, I'd love to hear about it!

For You

Now it's your turn to put these insights into practice! Try one of the exercises, such as the Two-Minute Tale or Stream of Consciousness, and record yourself speaking. Listening to the recording will reveal patterns you might not notice in the moment. Your future self will thank you.

Thanks for reading the second edition of Phron Monthly.

See you next month!

Fun Fact: Did you know that Valentine's Day might be based on a mistake? In the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer linked February 14 by writing that birds pick their mates that day — except, in England, birds don't even mate in February. Before that, the date was tied to the Roman festival Lupercalia, a wild celebration of fertility where men would slap women with goat hides for good luck in childbirth! Somehow, we went from that... to chocolates and roses.

Disclaimer: The content of this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.