The human mind loves stories. Storytelling has existed since the beginning of time. Earlier it was traditional for people to gather around in communities and listen to stories every evening as a past time. These were before the times of mobile phones and even electricity. There were various formats – legend recalls, mythology narrations, street corner theatres. But stories ruled the roost. The mind was the theatre and imagination would create characters, locales and visualisation. Some form came into storytelling when theatre took centre stage. Actors and actresses gave form to characters. Dance and singing narratives also were centred around story telling.
As time whisked past, painting, art and stone carvings recorded historical stories. As the concept of markets emerged, each seller brought out their sales pitches in another engaging story concept. Cinema and later the black and white TV broke all barriers of story telling through feature films, documentaries and ruled lives in entertainment. Initially with silent films and thereafter sound brought in another level of storytelling. We have literally leapt forward in technology, reels on social media is the most popular storytelling medium today. Citizen journalists re-tell their own version of news. One-sided story telling has moved to interactive storytelling.
The internet puts it together very well to describe a story retelling mindset- as the conscious, transformative practice of reframing personal, professional, or fictional narratives to find new meaning, power, or purpose.
The need for story retelling
Professionally in today’s business world communications leads the way. Its not just about curating presentations and reading them out, but its all about retelling it. Highlighting focus areas. Logic is critical but what is important is how you retell the story in your presentation. Your high energy level, your body language, tone of voice and connect. Especially in the profession of Communications, story retelling is a make or break.
Personally, given the networking environment where you meet people, retelling stories effectively creates that critical engagement and connect. Ok it’s essential that you know what you are talking about, but talking informally in groups needs its own set of skills. Say the chat is all about the IPL cricket match of today, how you retell what happened, heightens your listenability.
It’s very important however to keep your empathy capabilities right at the top. Understanding your audience and resonating with them is the real beginning.
Why is it important to have spontaneity in story retelling?
I have been part of professional theatre. I have written, directed and acted in many plays through the group and founded called the Seekers. After all the theatre script is sacrosanct. Light, sound and even the co-actors depend on it. However, I clearly remember, empowering the actors to use their empathy to connect with the audiences and re-narrate the play accordingly. Sometimes, we would change the sets too when we would retell the story to a younger audience!
One of the most retold stories is the epic of Ramayana but the ‘Ram Leela’ held in Lucknow is different to the ‘Ram Leela’ held in Kolkata. Local culture really has a profound effect on listenership.
This is why; spontaneity is a key leverage in story retelling.
When you make your presentation in Bangalore, it’s very different to the presentation you make in Raipur!
Interactive story telling increases inclusivity
One-sided story retelling has quite become a bore. They are usually monologues which create an environment of chest beating. One of the most favourite story retelling subjects is the story of one’s own self. This story maybe very useful for your own ego about how brilliant you were in your college or career, but beyond an extent drives people away unless you are a guru in your subject and people have come to hear and learn from you at a knowledge session like TED Talk!
Story retelling with interaction drives your story better home as you shift your story retelling format from monologue to dialogue.
“Inside each of us is a natural-born storyteller, waiting to be released.”
Robin Moore – Author
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