Mastering Storytelling for Impactful Business Performance

Key Quotes

"so get rid of the word presentation assume you're doing a performance then suddenly you're going to discover i have to prepare i have to be entertaining i have to recognize the audience wants something from me that is different than maybe what i want to say if you're just doing a presentation you might as well just get a slide deck and have a monkey read it because that's essentially what a presentation is"

Matthew Dicks argues that the term "presentation" is detrimental to effective communication, as it implies a passive delivery of information. He advocates for viewing it as a "performance," which inherently requires preparation, audience engagement, and an entertaining approach. Dicks believes that embracing the idea of a performance shifts the focus from simply conveying content to actively captivating and connecting with the audience.

"it's so funny if the opening of every story is the key to unlocking the story so i'm always like what's the first sentence alright so here's the new story i'm standing in the front of my fifth grade classroom recess has ended and john paul runs up to me and says mr dicks mr dicks you're not going to believe what happened at recess today"

Matthew Dicks emphasizes the critical importance of a story's opening, stating that it is the key to unlocking the entire narrative. He illustrates this by sharing the beginning of a new story, which immediately sets a scene and introduces a hook: a student approaching him with an unbelievable revelation. Dicks suggests that the initial sentence is a deliberate choice that sets the tone and expectation for the audience.

"i started teaching people i started telling stories first at the moth had lots of success then my wife and i launched speak up in connecticut a curated storytelling show that we do quite often people would watch me tell these stories and then eventually people said will you teach us how to do this i thought at first no i teach kids all day i don't want to teach adults in the evening eventually enough of them asked that i said i'm going to do one workshop and never again"

Matthew Dicks explains the genesis of his storytelling workshops, which evolved from his success at The Moth and a curated storytelling show. He initially resisted teaching adults, preferring to focus on his elementary school students. However, persistent requests from others eventually led him to offer a single workshop, which then became the foundation for his book "Storyworthy." Dicks highlights how his experience as a teacher enabled him to break down complex storytelling processes into manageable parts.

"the simplest answer to that is start with location and action every story you tell for the rest of your life you should start with where was i and what was i doing those two things activate the brain in a storytelling way five chemicals got released as soon as your brain recognized that a story was being told oxytocin which made you like me more than you liked me before dopamine which made you feel good as i was telling a story cortisol which made your memory work better and heightened your alertness endorphins got released which means this is a crazy one if your knee was sore when i started telling the story endorphins reduced pain your knee is less sore as a result of listening to my story and serotonin which allows for long term memory storage all of that happens because it's evolutionarily based human beings for the first 200 000 years of our lives could not write anything down"

Matthew Dicks asserts that the most effective way to begin a story is by establishing "location and action." He explains that this technique immediately engages the audience's brain, triggering the release of five beneficial chemicals: oxytocin, dopamine, cortisol, endorphins, and serotonin. Dicks connects this to our evolutionary history, where oral storytelling was crucial for survival, leading our brains to be wired to pay close attention when a story begins with a clear setting and an action.

"the thing i hear most from people is what happens right after their presentation or performance is done almost always people tell me i can't believe how many people came up to me once i was done to talk to me i used to do my thing and then step off the stage and essentially i'd go use the restroom and go home i step off the stage now people just come up and talk to me now a lot of times they're talking about apples and grocery shopping and those kinds of things they're relating to the story that was told on the stage but it means you're getting a personal connection with a person it means you're going to tap phones and exchange linkedin information it means you're going to get a business card"

Matthew Dicks highlights a consistent impact he observes after individuals shift from giving presentations to delivering storytelling performances: increased audience engagement. He notes that performers are frequently approached by audience members afterward, leading to personal connections, exchanges of contact information, and business cards. Dicks suggests this direct engagement stems from the relatable nature of stories, which fosters a deeper connection than traditional presentations.

"i wrote a book called someday is today because i think most people say that someday they're going to do something and then they die instead i think most people die having dreams that are never fulfilled because they just think there's going to be a tomorrow what i've discovered is when you have an idea you just run at it as fast as you possibly can no matter what and chase that idea down chase that dream down and do not delay a moment"

Matthew Dicks advocates for immediate action on ideas, encapsulated in his book title "Someday is Today." He believes that procrastination is a primary reason why people fail to achieve their dreams, as they often defer action to an imagined future. Dicks' core message is to relentlessly pursue any idea or dream the moment it arises, emphasizing that delaying action significantly increases the likelihood of those aspirations remaining unfulfilled.