Episode 26 - How to tell the perfect story with Karen Eber

Storytelling and effective leadership go hand-in-hand. If you’re still on the fence about that — or you’re wondering how to tell the perfect story — listen to this episode. 

Karen Eber is an author, international leadership consultant, professional storyteller, and keynote speaker. Her talk on TED.com: "How your brain responds to stories – and why they’re crucial for leaders", has almost 2 million views. As the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Eber Leadership Group, Karen helps Fortune 500 companies build leaders, teams, and culture one story at a time.

Karen is also the author of the book THE PERFECT STORY: How to Tell Stories that Inform, Influence, and Inspire.

In this episode we discuss why leaders and professionals should take the time to tell stories and improve their storytelling skills. Plus, we dive into common questions and challenges that many leaders and communicators face, and explore how anyone can level-up their storytelling skills to make a bigger, better impact. 

Topics we cover include:

→ What you should know if you think you’re not a good storyteller: Karen offers inside knowledge, hope, and practical tips if you aren’t good at storytelling (yet).

→ How to navigate the personal, the professional, and the private when it comes to storytelling. And how to bring enough vulnerability into your storytelling without revealing “too much”.

→ The difference between David Bowie and Sting, and an easy way to connect better with your audience. (Hint: share more than just the songs.)

→ How to get started when you don’t know who your audience is. 

→ Tips on public speaking for introverts – how to manage your energy and wellbeing when you’re in the spotlight.

→ Communicating data – why you need storytelling when sharing data, and why storytelling is more than just data visualization.

→ When you shouldn’t tell a story; when being straight up and to the point is more effective.

→ How to handle your fear of disappointing others or not being good enough, and a simple way to move forward if you’re afraid of falling short.