The Art of Using Storytelling to Advance Your Career

Millette Granville, VP of DEI at 2U, had to learn early in her career that the key to success would be tied to how well she could tell her own story. Storytelling is described as an art. It requires creativity, vision, skill, and practice. Storytelling isn't something you grasp overnight, it takes time to master. Being a good storyteller will help you advance in your career, turn complex topics into easy-to-understand language and it will create an emotional connection with your audience.

In this chat, you’ll learn:

• The art of storytelling
• How to simplify topics to connect with your audience
• How telling your story can impact your career

During the Chat & Learn, Millette shared the following tips:

When you were listening to the story:

• What images, environments and characters did you picture in your mind?
• What emotions did you feel?
• Make it visual. What images did you see?
• Emotions are the fast lane to the brain. What emotions did you feel?
• Make your message memorable. What is the catchphrase in this story? In the Chat Put the Pill in the Peanut Butter!!

What a great story can do:

• Create an emotionally charged event with the listener
• Build relationships, engage attention and stimulate curiosity
• Establish credibility for the expert/storyteller
• Disrupt preoccupation and command attention
• Create pattern interruption. Be unpredictable
• Stories take your listener on an imaginary test drive
• Your brand will stand out from the crowd because they will remember you

Brand Pitch

Self-Advocacy-Telling your story:

• Who are you?
• What do you do?
• What do you want?
• What do you need?
• What are you willing to compromise on?

Tips, and Techniques for telling your brand story:

• Make sustained eye contact with one person at a time.
• Slow down. Give yourself time to think on your feet and find your place.
• Move. Walk with purpose from one position to another, but never pace.
• If you need to use notes, just use bullet points of your presentation.
• Breath. The more you rush, the more you run out of breath.
• Be prepared and stick to your presentation. Be honest and emotionally available.