Weaving Narrative Threads into Your Presentations

“Narrative threads serve as reminders that stories are not discrete units but rather are part of a larger, polyphonous fabric.” -Anne Bell

We know that stories are how we express and experience life. That’s why we write about them so often. Ethos3 is in the business of presentation design and training. But really, we are in the business of stories. However, we want to zoom out a little bit today to look at the bigger picture.

Story Vs. Narrative

Imagine a great river. It’s always on the move, rushing forward. It’s been there long before we were born and will be there long after we die. But for a moment, you can stand on the bank of that river. You can throw in a fishing line. Or go for a swim. Or toss rocks into its depths. In that way, you change the river. You become part of it at certain place, in a certain way, for a certain time. That is the story. It’s your story of your time at the river. But the narrative thread is the river, the continuous movement that touches many people and intersects many stories.

In his article, “The Untapped Potential of Corporate Narratives,” John Hagel differentiates stories from narratives. He says, “stories are self-contained – they have a beginning, a middle and an end. Narratives on the other hand are open-ended – the outcome is unresolved, yet to be determined.” They have to be open-ended because they are too big to be solved by one person or by one presentation. Narrative threads are things like the human quest for equality. We’ve been watching and telling stories connected to this thread for centuries. It is part of our human fabric. But it’s not one that we’ve resolved. Not even close.

The Power of Narrative Threads

Stories have their own incredible places and power within presentations. But when we start to understand how narrative threads work, we can take our presentations to the next level. Researcher and writer Anne Bell says a narrative thread is “an element (e.g., an explanation, a hope, vision, an emphasis, a perspective) figuring in one or more stories or storylines.” Hagel cites Apple’s “think different” and Nike’s “just do it” as two effective corporate narratives. They give clear vision, direction, and values. They allow stories and storylines to be folded into them. And they are timeless. Because of that, they call us to be part of them. They ask that all of us keep trying to resolve the greatest problems or add to the most beautiful parts of life. That’s why narrative threads are so powerful and persuasive.

Use These Questions to Discover & Highlight Your Narrative Threads

  • What part of this precedes my presentation and will continue after my presentation?
  • How can I highlight the timelessness of my bigger vision?
  • In what ways does this presentation speak to the larger human experience?
  • How is my story similar to the stories of my audience members?
  • What parts of the presentation are open-ended or timeless?
  • What in my content has the potential to resonate with people who are different from me in every way?

If you can answer these questions, you can figure out what your narrative threads are. And then, you can weave them into your presentation.

As presenters, we need to tell stories, but we also need to connect them to the grander narrative threads that run all throughout human history. When we do, all members of the audience, no matter what story they are living in, can say, “I’ve been to that river. I know that water. That narrative is familiar.”

Ethos3 exists to help tell the stories that connect to the narrative threads that move the world forward. How can we help you with presentation development, design, or delivery today?

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