There's always a challenge

Life is full of challenges. So are great stories. In this next step in my storytelling framework I look at something we are all to familiar with - the challenge. The reality is the vast majority of presentations or business asks include some sort of a challenge. It might be a lack of budget or a problem a customer has. It may be some adversity you or your team face.

There are a myriad different challenges you could include in your story - as long as you include it. Whilst the idea of including conflict in a business story may at first seem counterintuitive it is in fact an integral part of an impactful story. If you think about all the great stories, fairy tales, your favourite film or book, they all involve some sort of a challenge, battle or conflict.

Why is this? Because conflict is interesting. People tend to socialize with likeminded people, so something that is different can be very stimulating. Conflict is also not boring. It is can introduce the feeling of risk or uncertainty - both of which can stimulate the brain and get people to pay attention. Conflict can be emotional which is another great thing to have in a story.

When the hero of our story faces adversity, the audience empathises with their struggles, hopes, and fears (assuming you have set the hero and challenge up well). This emotional resonance turns the audience into invested participants, wanting to find a resolution or answer to the challenge. Conflict creates suspense and curiosity and this in turn keeps the audience engaged and hooked.

So how do you optimise the challenge in your story to get the best results?

Prioritise

While challenge is good you do not want a story that is dominated by challenges or conflict. Having multiple issues in your story can also dilute the impact and reduce the chances of getting the action you want from your presentation. Identify your overarching problem that you will be addressing or that needs to be solved.

Structure

If you do have more than one challenge that needs to be shared then think about how you can structure them so that they tell a consistent tale. Ideally do not have more than three challenges so look at how you can reframe your challenges into three MECE but connected challenges. In case this looks familiar this is the basis for McKinsey's pyramid principle which is a great framework for problem solving.

Tailored

When looking at how to communicate the challenge you also need to consider your audience. How you describe an issue may work better with some people than others. For example if you are talking about the challenge of autoimmune fatigue to an autoimmune patient you would not need to explain it. However if talking about it to a doctor or someone with no lived experience then you would need to help them understand and visualise the real problem.

After you have introduced the challenge or conflict you then will need to offer the resolution. This is the next step in the framework and will be the next article in this series.

If you would like to learn more about business storytelling and how to apply the framework to your work then please contact me. I offer team training and 1:1 coaching in business storytelling and presenting.