Storytelling for Business | David Hutchens | 489

People don't easily connect to abstract ideas, we connect to other human beings. With that in mind, how can a thought leader tell stories that bring your ideas to life? To answer that question I've invited David Hutchens to join me. David is the CEO of Mythos Global, the home of the Storytelling Leader program. He is also the author of Story Dash: Find, Develop, & Activate Your Most Valuable Business Stories… In Just a Few Hours! David has built his career around storytelling for business, and he's come on our show to share some of those insights with our audience. Our conversation starts with David's story; going from copywriter at advertising agencies, to attending the ASTD Expo with his portfolio, seeking an opportunity to write about the things he really cares about – innovation and leadership. David's story gives us an immediate connection to his ideas, and helps him illuminate how others can use tools he's created (like the Taxonomy of Stories and Story Deck) to find the stories they should be telling. These tools were crafted through many years of conversation, hearing the stories of business leaders all over the world. David realized many of those stories had common themes, and could be organized into categories that would give sales, strategy, innovation, thought leaders and more the ability to share stories that motivate and illuminate their audience - stories that they need to tell. While storytelling is important, David also cautions that a leader must also use other tools as well. He shares how his research into highly successful leaders indicates that 30% of a leader's communication should be story-based, while the other 70% can encompass slides, data, didactic lecturing, and other modes of rhetoric and persuasion. David has powerful insights, and keen advice into how leaders and entrepreneurs can use storytelling to break through the noise and reach your audience! Three Key Takeaways: * Build a team. If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, take people with you. * Brilliant ideas don't spread on their own. They need advertising. * Attention is the new precious resource. You have to be thoughtful about how you'll break through the noise and keep the attention of your audience.