Sharing Stories From the Heart
Last weekend, my husband Ken and I got to work professionally together for the first time since 2019 when a client took us to Singapore to deliver a two-day training. This time we merely ventured to Pasadena, where we had the privilege of working with ~130 board members and staff leaders for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California on the topic of Storytelling for Philanthropic Success.
To say we were well-suited to the task is an understatement. Not only is Ken a Broadway performer turned minister, but we both love to tell stories, especially when the story has such deep meaning for us. You see, our youngest son, Joshua, arrived three weeks early and spent the first 42 days of his life at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Joshua was born with Pierre Robin Sequence (a recessed lower jaw) requiring several surgeries to correct. We were direct beneficiaries of the work RMHCSC provides through their family rooms, camps, and houses. We understand first-hand what families feel facing a life-threatening diagnosis for one of the youngest members of their family.
Ken opened our session powerfully, with some emotion, sharing how these weeks were—to paraphrase Charles Dickens—the best of times, the worst of times, and the strangest of times. In just a few minutes, he had this ballroom of passionate participants leaning in to hear more about our journey. I was emotional just listening to my husband recount those weeks in such a concise and compelling way.
Then I walked through the seven habits of highly effective storytellers, a methodology I’ve taught for years now and showed how Ken had “magically” followed each of the principles.
Parachute in—don’t over preface, get to the story.
Choose first & final words with care—then keep them close to each other.
Follow the Goldilocks theory of details—don’t give us too many or too few details give us the “just right” amount to draw us in.
Know your “why”—what’s your intent in sharing this story with this particular audience?
Focus on “one person with one thought”—deliver with direct eye contact to connect.
Consider the power of poetry—using metaphor, alliteration, or attribution to make your story memorable.
Use silence for impact and emphasis—it’s as crucial as the words you say.
I strive to keep these newsletters brief but am happy to share more on this storytelling framework for anybody who wants it. Drop me a note at info@jdschramm.com and request an excerpt from my book, Communicate with Mastery, where I cover this. Happy to provide for free to any of you.
Astute readers may be asking, so how does this apply to philanthropy? I’m glad you asked. My belief is that if you tell a concise and compelling story to prospective donors, they will lean in and want to know more. They will be enrolled in your work and want to support it. Yes, there’s more to raising money than that—I’m the son of a passionate fundraiser after all—but the first step, the key step, is to share a concise and compelling story.
JD’s Recommendations: what I’m reading, hearing, and seeing
Reading: What Oprah knows for sure about the power of storytelling—Can it get any better than hearing her share about stories that moved her?
Hearing: The Daily Dad with Ryan Holiday—This brief podcast is phenomenal, with five minutes of guidance each day; this episode reminds us to not unknowingly add doubt to our kids’ lives.
Seeing: My year of saying yes to everything—My friend Javier reminded me of Shonda Rhimes’ remarkable TED talk from 2016 about how saying “yes” helped her overcome fear.
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As always, jds
PS: Are you a coach in the Bay Area (communication, life, exec, or leadership)? If so, come join me and my dear friend and colleague Bronwyn Saglimbeni on Thursday, February 16, for a day of renewal and re-engagement for coaches. Make an investment in yourself that will pay dividends throughout the year for you and your clients.
I love those 7 steps. Thank you.