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Curiosity Killed the Cat

This is the story of your first day at school or your first job. It's every fear you faced and every lesson you've learned.

You're doing ok, minding your own business. Suddenly, something takes you out - a pandemic strikes, you lose your job or get divorced. You pick yourself up and carry on, a little older and wiser.

Anyone can fall into a hole, but you can't fall out. You've got to climb. This is where you show your strength.

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What's My Motivation?

If you want to know what people are likely to do next, it really helps if you understand their motivation.

We're brilliant at reading eyes, faces and emotions for clues as to what people might do next. Your chances of achieving anything almost always depend on whether other people help or hinder you. It's why actors need to know "what's my motivation?" when they take on a character in a story. And you need to know too.

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Shock of the Old

We can get so hooked on imagining the future that we forget to look for inspiration in stories from the past.

Never forget just how hard it is to make anything truly innovative. History has some harsh lessons for us.

"Most new things fail. Objects or actions which survive for generations must be good at serving some hidden purpose... they correspond with something deep in our nature." - Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile

Use this tactic to get stories from users. Or practice by taking a field trip to a museum (or junk shop).

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Universal Stories

Every society ever studied tells stories. It's the best way we've found to pass on vital social information.

Myths, fables and fairy tales repeat down the ages and across cultures. Storytelling is one of several traits that all societies have evolved. And there are other universal traits that keep coming up in the stories we tell about people around us.

Stop talking about yourself. Make your user the Hero of your story. You play a supporting role: the Guide. What is your Hero trying to achieve? How will you guide them on their journey? What's your call to adventure? What special gift do you give to help your Hero?

Try this tactic after a session with Three Great Conflicts [coming soon].

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Data Detectives

"In God we trust. Everyone else, bring data." W. Edwards Deming

You can get great insights from data, but you can also tell great stories about it too. Many people struggle to understand data, even when it's beautifully visualised. But they'll remember a few key facts if you wrap them up in a story. So you need to learn three kinds of stories to tell with - and about - your data.

Go on from this session to a Hero and Guide tactic. Imagine data is a magical power that lets you help your user. What kind of story would that be?

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Cut to the Chase

Oh no, you're losing your audience! Their mind's are wandering. Quick, get their attention back on you.

"Thou shalt not be dull" is a golden rule of storytelling. You know when you're losing people: they start to look restless or uncomfortable. (Let's be honest, it's annoying to listen to a boring story).

So it's time to quit the back-story and cut to the chase: give us action, emotion or meaning.

Tips: this tactic works with face-to-face storytelling. But it applies to online stories too. Assume we get bored easily. How can you tweak our attention throughout your story?

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Dragon and the City

There's a dragon outside the city walls. Your world is no longer safe. What should you do?

Imagine you live in a safe place: a walled city. A threat emerges: the dragon. You have three choices:

• Escape: find a safer place to live.
• Defend: strengthen the city walls.
• Attack: take on the dragon before he gets stronger.

Each option has risks and rewards. Just like your project.

Instructions

1. What is your city?
• What is good and valuable in the status quo?
• What is wrong, unfair or wasteful?

🔒 Tactic unlocks May 6th

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Story Hooks

Got a good story? Great, but why is nobody listening?

You might have the best story in the world, but it's no use if you can't get people to listen, to click on the link or open the email. You need a hook: something that makes us want to find out more. Shall I let you into the secret?

Use this tactic once you've got a good idea of the story you're telling - after a session with Rags to Riches or Man in A Hole tactics.

Instructions