The power of storytelling: bringing your audience back home

'I was sixteen. Every morning my mother woke me up to go to school. But that morning I woke up without her call. When I went to her room I found her paralysed.' With this introduction a Spanish participant at a storytelling workshop started his own story. His English was not fluent and he was not looking into the eyes of his public. But his story was genuine. From the first sentence we were hanging on his lips and forgave all the shortcomings.

In another group a Polish participant was telling a story by juggling with three small balls. His audience was delighted. Afterwards a participant argued that a good PowerPoint presentation could have the same impact as a juggling performance. Someone disagreed. The story had carried him back to his childhood, where his grandfather used to show tricks too.

The two stories taught me that the most powerful tool for a storyteller is to bring the audience back home.