Tip 26: Make it Interactive

Tip 26: Make it Interactive

Storytelling can be a passive experience for the listener, so consider using strategies that can make the listener feel included. For some stories and storytellers, this happens organically.

Some stories are so universal that listeners tap into their own experiences and feel included.

Some skilled storytellers may outright ask the listeners to join them on the journey.

Here is an excerpt taken from chapter nine of my book StoryTraining: Selecting and Shaping Stories That Connect

"We heard the classroom door close behind us, and we all looked back. Samantha, our instructor, stood in the back of the room and said, 'I once lost a quarter of a million dollars. I had $250,000 on a Monday, and it was gone on a Tuesday.'

"On her way to the front of the room, she stopped by each table, selected one person, and knelt down. Looking the first person in the eye, Samantha asked, 'What would you do with $250,000?' Put on the spot, he said he didn’t know. After that, people were ready with answers, which ranged from 'Save it' to 'Blow it all on a monthlong vacation.'

"Soon, several people from each table Samantha was visiting offered answers, and she would respond to everyone with follow-up questions, quips, or sometimes just a smile. By the time she arrived at the front of the room, we had all considered what we would do with the money. It did not matter that it was money that we did not have (or had lost)—we all shared in her disappointment before she even told us how she lost the money. We were invested."

This was a strategic move by the storyteller to include the listeners before even telling us the story.

Interactive Strategies

Making personal storytelling interactive is vital in enhancing audience engagement and participation. Interactive elements, such as questions or prompts, actively involve the audience, transforming them from passive listeners to active participants. This engagement fosters a deeper connection with the story, as the audience feels more invested and a part of the narrative journey.

Interactive storytelling can also adapt in real time to audience reactions, allowing the storyteller to tailor the narrative for maximum impact and relevance. This approach encourages a two-way dialogue, enriching the storytelling experience with diverse perspectives and insights that can provide additional depth and meaning to the story. Moreover, interactive storytelling makes the experience more memorable and enjoyable, as audience members are more likely to remember a story in which they played an active role, potentially leading to stronger emotional responses and lasting impressions.

Here are a few examples:

Role-Playing Dialogue

“I’m sitting in my boss’s office, and it’s one of those conversations that’s just not going well. You know the type, right? So, I’m going back and forth, trying to explain my side. But let me ask you, what would you say in my position? You—yes, you—if you were me, what would your response be?” The audience member offers a suggestion, and the storyteller picks it up, using it in the next part of the story, bringing the audience directly into the unfolding narrative.

By inviting an audience member to suggest what they would say or even participate in the dialogue, the storyteller makes the audience an active part of the narrative. This technique is effective because it transforms a passive listening experience into an immersive one, fostering empathy and engagement. Audience members feel more connected because they see how their input influences the story’s direction, making it feel more real and relevant to their own lives.

Audience Reflection Points

“When I was 25, I made the biggest mistake of my career. I was so sure I knew what I was doing. But it all fell apart, and I was left picking up the pieces. Now, I know I’m not the only one who’s been there. Think about a time you messed up big. What did that feel like? Hold onto that for a second, because that’s where I was, standing in the aftermath, wondering what my next move would be.”

Asking the audience to reflect on their own experiences creates a personal connection between the storyteller’s narrative and the listeners’ lives. This approach is effective because it shifts the audience’s role from passive observers to active thinkers, bridging the gap between the story being told and their personal experiences. It enhances emotional resonance, making the audience feel understood and involved, which deepens their investment in the story's outcome.

Live Polling or Voting

“So, I’m at this crossroads, right? I’ve got two options: stick with the job I hate, or take a massive risk on this new venture that’s totally unproven. Quick show of hands—how many of you would stick it out? And how many would take the leap? Interesting. Let me tell you what I did, and it wasn’t the safe choice…”

Incorporating a live poll or vote about the storyteller’s dilemma engages the audience by inviting them to weigh in on a real decision point. This approach is effective because it creates a sense of immediacy and suspense, with the audience becoming part of the decision-making process. It makes the story interactive, allowing the audience to feel that their choices matter and increasing their emotional stake in what happens next.

Imagined Participation

“I’m on stage, giving a presentation that’s not going well. Picture this: the audience is staring, blank faces everywhere. I’m sure some of you have been there, right? So, I decide to take a risk—I ask them a question that puts me on the spot. Imagine you’re in that room with me. What would you ask? That’s exactly the point where everything turned around.”

Asking the audience to put themselves in the storyteller’s shoes and imagine being in a specific situation turns listeners into participants. This is effective because it breaks the barrier between the storyteller and the audience, making the story a shared experience. It allows the audience to visualize the scenario vividly, enhancing their emotional connection to the narrative and prompting them to think about how they would act in a similar situation.

Direct Audience Involvement

“I’m arguing with my best friend, and it’s one of those fights where you can’t even remember how it started, but now everything’s on the line. Have you ever had one of those moments? Yeah, exactly. So, I’m curious—how do you apologize when you know you’ve messed up, but pride’s in the way? Let me tell you what I did, and maybe you’ll see why it was so hard to make that call.”

Directly asking the audience how they would handle a situation personalizes the story and invites listeners to compare their own experiences. This technique is effective because it builds a dialogue between the storyteller and the audience, fostering a sense of community and shared vulnerability. It encourages the audience to reflect on their own actions, making the story not just something they hear, but something they actively engage with and learn from.

In each of these examples, the interactive element transforms the reader from a passive observer to an active participant. This engagement enhances the reader's involvement in the story, making the experience more immersive and personalized. Interactive storytelling techniques can make a business narrative more engaging, memorable, and impactful.


Upcoming Events

Adobe Learning Summit: Designing Effective Feedback Mechanisms in eLearning , Las Vegas, NV, October 2nd, 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM (PDT)

Medical Affairs Technology and Innovation Summit: Panel , Chicago, IL October 10

Niche Academy: Building a Quality Framework for Learning and Development , Online, October 23, 2 pm ET

Devlearn , Las Vegas, NV, November 6-8

Books

Quality Management in Learning and Development (2024)

StoryTraining: Selecting and Shaping Stories That Connect (2018)

ATD's Handbook for Training and Talent Development - Chapter 16 (2022)

TD at Work Guide: Power E-Learning With Stories (2021)

TD at Work Guide: Get the Whole Picture With a Performance Assessment (2018)


Nancy Hayes, Ph.D.

Bilingual Instructional Designer | Professional Learning Specialist | Curriculum Consultant | eLearning Developer | LXD | L&D | Researcher | Assessment Specialist | Literacy & L2 Acquisition Expert | Photographer

1 个月

This image doesn’t do you any favors. It’s obviously AI generated—so will the rest of your content be generated that way too?

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