What’s your story? Who are you? Where do you come from? What do you want? When you seek to influence others, you face these questions and more. Whether you’re proposing a risky new venture, trying to close a deal, or leading a charge against injustice, you have a story to tell. Tell it well and you will create a shared experience with your listeners that can have profound results.In this highly accessible and groundbreaking book, Annette Simmons reminds us that the oldest tool of influence is also the most powerful. Showcasing over a hundred examples of effective storytelling drawn from the front lines of business and government, as well as myths, fables, and parables form around the world, Simmons illustrates how story can be used to persuade, motivate, and inspire in ways that cold facts, bullet points, and directives can’t. A great read, The Story Factor will guide and inspire you to become a more effective communicator. Nearly everyone responds to a good yarn, and that’s precisely the point behind The Story Factor by Annette Simmons. A “collaborative behavior” consultant to public and private organizations, Simmons argues that storytelling may just be the best management tool available to modern business leaders because it exerts influence in ways that other techniques cannot. And she doesn’t suggest that stories be exclusively reserved for formal presentations, either; on the contrary, Simmons shows how they can be used effectively in small group settings and even one-on-one situations. She begins by describing six basic types that can be adapted to any circumstance (Who I Am, Why I Am Here, The Vision, Teaching, Values-In-Action, and I Know What You Are Thinking). She then offers pointers for finding them and advises that ideas be jotted down whenever they appear, built upon consistently, and practiced in private until the telling comes naturally. To that end, she includes helpful tips on presentation, noting that the words are only part of a package that includes body language, clothing, tone, and other components. Follow her lead and you’ll likely never relate to any individual or group in the same way again. –Howard Rothman
