1. DVL Smith’s tips on becoming a
Corporate Storyteller

2. 1. Start from the end –
what’s the goal?
2. Understand the
10. Handling conflict decision making
audience
9. Framing the 3. Review the
decision choices and presentation delivery
The 10
advising the client scenario
step guide 4. Frameworks for
integrating individual
8. Presentation style
elements of the
evidence
5. Developing an
7. Developing the organising framework
killer chart for influencing and
making an impact
6. Identifying a
storyline structure

3. 1 Start from the end: Know what you want the outcome to be
• From the age of 18 Ali said ‘I am the ‘Highly effective
greatest’ people always start
• Not ‘I will be the greatest’ at the end’
Steven Covey
• By focusing on the end objective he
could channel his energies into winning!
Key learning points Ask yourself
• Tailor your presentation to the audience
1 Do you have a clear
understanding of all the
stakeholders in the study?
• Speak their ‘language’
2
Do you know what
• Use big actionable concepts, not jargon or Could you write on a post-
outcome the audience
it note the exact expected
3 tedious detail expects from the
outcome of the study?
presentation?
• Make your presentation ‘stick’
4
Do you know what the Have you mapped out all
audience will be able to do the likely outcomes of the
with insights? study?
• Preparation is key
5

4. 2 Understand the decision-making audience
 There are three broad communication ‘When I want to
modes by which we process information persuade a man, I
spend two thirds of
 Your presentation should seek to appeal the time thinking
to all three modes about what they want
to hear and one third
 Try to pick the mode of your audience about what I want to
and respond in that style say’
Abraham Lincoln
Understand your audience Know the 3 learning modes
• Who is in your audience?
1
• Why are they at the presentation?
2
• Which department do they represent?
3
• What are their interests in the presentation?
4
• How do they learn or process information?
5

5. 3 Review the presentation delivery scenario
• Give as much energy to the ‘golden 90% of success is explained
hour’ as to the research itself by strategic excellence –
only 10% of success is
• Know early on the scenario in which explained by tactically
you will be presenting retrieving strategically
flawed approaches.”
Corporate Strategist
• Ensure your presentation is tailored
to the delivery scenario
Know the delivery scenario Choose the right delivery method
Intimate
• What is the level of formality expected?
1
• What technical capabilities are available? Audio
2 Verbal
visual
• What is your relationship with the audience? Hi-Tech Basic
3
• What timeframe do you have to present in?
4 PowerPoint Flipchart
• What is the added value on this project?
5
Formal

6. 4 Frameworks for integrating the evidence
“What’s in greatest demand
• Thinking holistically is a corner stones of today isn’t analysis but
presenting an evidence-based narrative synthesis – seeing the big
picture and, crossing
• So it is important to analyse the different boundaries, being able to
combine disparate pieces
types of evidence in a holistic way into an arresting new
whole.”
• Remember quant data be analysed Daniel H. Pink
qualitatively, and qual quantitatively!
Check all the evidence Use weight, power and direction
• Do you believe this intuitively?
1
• Did you expect this finding?
2
• Is there other data to support this finding?
3
• Could an error have lead to this finding?
4
• Does this finding fit in with the real world?
5

7. 5 Developing frameworks for making an impact
“When forced to work
• Decision makers love analytical within a strict framework
frameworks the imagination is taxed
 This allows them to quickly make to its utmost and will
produce its richest ideas.”
sense of complex data TS Elliott
• So learn to see the world from the
decision-maker viewpoint
Become familiar with a range of different business frameworks
Credits Debits
Good Bad
news news
stories stories

8. 6
Developing a storyline structure
 Stories are how we make sense of “Stories are important
the world cognitive events, for
they encapsulate, into
 So don’t present a slow build up of one compact package,
information,
isolated data knowledge, context and
emotion.”
 But tell an integrated story in an Don Norman
engaging way
Goodbye to building blocks Hello to an engaging story
The key issues are
First let me tell you what Wake up, now it’s time for
the desk research said: the qual feedback: 1 Desk
Building block evidence A Building block evidence B
You look tired, now for the 2 Qual
Then a pathetically weak survey data :
link into
Building block evidence C
3 Quant
The conclusions
Well that’s me done, I guess you could do A or B
write themselves!

9. 7 Developing the killer chart
 Get your message over in a
narrative “Perfection is not
when there is no more
 Make use of telling quotes and to add, but no more to
killer stats take away.”
Antoine de Saint-
 Use concrete practical examples Exupery
to make it concrete
Present in three modes Triads are a powerful tool
Words This maximises
These are your Group your impact of your
weapons, use them points, message…
Pictures And is a top
Numbers wisely sentences, and
A picture is worth example in communications tip
Use killer stats, and in any situation!
numbers to prove a 1000 words…. threes...
your point Adds impact
Use your
three Three is key
weapons

10. 8 Perfecting your presentation style
 Energise those around you with your
compelling narrative ‘‘Once someone has
 Involve management and respect framed the choices,
their feedback making the decision is
 Take personal responsibility for
easy.”
making things happen Lou Gerstner
Quick wins when presenting The three golden rules
• Stand stage left
1
• Involve the audience Get ‘lean-in’
2
• Introduce surprises Stay in control Think ‘showtime’
3
• Use stories to gain buy-in
4 Always
remember
• Touch the world of the decision makers
5

11. 9 Framing the choices and ensuring activation
 It’s not enough to stand back and “The good presenter grabs
‘throw the data over the wall’ their minds at the beginning
of the presentation, navigates
 Researchers must frame the choice them through all the various
for decision makers parts, data and ideas, never
letting go; and then deposits
 And ensure that the appropriate them at the call to action.”
action is taken Jerry Weissman
5 steps to ensuring activation A cautionary tale
• Deliver a power evidence based narrative
1 • A 19th century medical orderly
observed disease was airborne
• Engage decisions makers with the key findings
2
• Analyse the potential impact of the insights • This theory was ignored because he
3 did not know how to influence people
• Test the theories to destruction
4
• This created a century long wait to
• Allocate project champions arrive at preventative solutions
5

12. 10 Handling conflict
 Always surface the issue, don’t let the “Dad always told me that in
audience take the conflict with them any negotiation, let the
 Assume benign intent and state the other guy feel he has won.
problem as you see it Don’t take the last nickel
from the table”
 Validate their concerns and feelings and
Brian Roberts
address the issues rather than the people
5 tips to handling conflict How to handle difficult audiences
• Control your emotion
There are three main types of audiences
1
2
• Don’t defend Egomaniacs • Flatter early on
• Listen to their point of view
3
• Concede point, then
Pedants
• Ask for clarification and acknowledge their concerns
destroy
4
• When emotions are vented, focus on the issues • Say it again in risk
5 Worriers
avoidance language

13. Get in touch
Quay House, Admirals Way, Marsh Wall,
London E14 9XG, UK
Office +44 (0)20 7868 1440 : Mobile +44 (0)7766 753 775 : email: info@dvlsmith.com
For more information on:
• Our e-tutorial service for this module
• Attending face-to-face workshops on Corporate Storytelling
• Other skills development modules
www.dvlsmith.com