While spending time with my brother, a retired Methodist minister, we started swapping examples of “do’s and don’ts” when trying to make a point. We talked about some that worked, and some that just made you wonder, what on earth were they thinking!
Here’s an example of what can go wrong, and what works: My brother and his family were attending a Christmas Eve service and the local minister, trying to make a segue to Jesus’ birth, made this statement: “I don’t want to sound sexist (this is a big warning, right there) but whenever women get together, they always take about the births of their children.” At the time my brother observed several women shaking their heads “no” vigorously. And things went downhill from there.
Then, my brother shared a time he was also going to discuss the birth of Jesus at a Christmas Eve service. He started his sermon with this remark: “Dad stopped by the bar for milk.” This got everyone’s attention, and the story explained the baby (my brother) needed milk and the bar was the closest place to pick some up. Frankly I never knew bars sold milk, but that’s how the story went. And it moved on to motherhood and his message.
Stories hit us on a subconscious level and are always less about lecturing than reaching someone in a way that will instantly increase understanding. I’ve used stories for years, and since I travel often as a keynote speaker or facilitator, I’m always encountering them as well. You might think about using some of your own stories and experiences when you’re trying to get a point across. It gets peoples’ attention, and makes them stop and think!
