New-hire orientation: Share stories about what you do as an organization that makes a difference in the world for both your customers and community.
Starting a presentation: Grab your audience's interest right away by sharing a story about how knowing the material your presentation covers made a difference to someone with whom you worked.
Teaching abstract concepts: Use analogies from common, everyday life and from your learner's unique perspective.
Coaching: Use a story to help you challenge limiting beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes. Because you are demonstrating the concept through "just a story," you often encounter less defensiveness and resistance.
These tips were adapted from the May 2012 Infoline, "Powerful Storytelling Techniques," available at www.astd.org/infoline.
