You’ll Love This Book, Trust Me

One of the questions I get asked the most is “How do you get people to talk so naturally on-camera?”

The simple answer is it starts with my intention.

That’s why I’m so thrilled to share with others Nick Morgan’s new book “Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma.”

Setting intentions is one of the central ideas in “Trust Me.” Business leaders and non-filmmakers involved in any aspect of creating a corporate documentary will find this book invaluable. (And yes, filmmakers will find it awesome, too!)

Think your spoken words carry the most weight during a conversation?

Think again.

Your gestures mean more. Way more.

And you can thank your limbic brain for believing gestures over spoken words.

According to Morgan, many of the gestures we use while speaking actually happen a split second before our words are spoken. At a subconscious level, we receive these gestures and then our part of our brain determines if that person is believable and authentic.

“Trust Me” outlines in four simple steps how we can become more believable and authentic by getting both verbal and nonverbal in sync.

We often feel a certain way about someone because we unconsciously believe the “second conversation,” the one with gestures, over the “first conversation,” the one with content.

“Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma” is an important piece of work because we now have a clear and simple system to become highly effective communicators while maximizing our presence in front of others; either in groups or one-on-one.

The Big Idea
The main concept behind “Trust Me” is simply this: gestures first, words second.

“We are all unconscious experts at reading other people’s body language” (pg 2).

Nick proposes that “every conversation is two conversations: the verbal one- the content- and the nonverbal one- the body language. If the two are aligned, you can be a persuasive, authentic communicator…If the two are not aligned, people believe the nonverbal every time” (pg 1).

The Big “A-Ha!”
Over the years, our instincts taught us to survive by reading nonverbal clues; which is great when one is living in the wild. These instincts are still with us, of course, but now with a slight twist: we are conditioned to read the nonverbal and attach meaning or intent behind it.

By learning to create intent first, our body language will more naturally express the intent, thus creating a more believable and authentic communication experience.

Intentions First. Gestures Second.
Most of us have been taught to think of what to say first then the words and gestures will follow. But we know the brain perceives and believes gestures first so it makes sense to create the intention of your communication first, then the gestures will appear naturally, followed by your thoughts and finally your actual words.

It’s easy to think, “I’ll just control my gestures by being conscious of them.” Of course, you’ll run into a slight problem: you’ll come off doubly awkward because now you’re thinking consciously of an unconscious activity. Nick’s suggestion? Think about the intent first and you will naturally create believable gestures. Now you can begin creating two believable conversations at once; the verbal and the nonverbal.

The Four Steps
Nick’s system to communicate authentically is easy to remember in any situation:

Step One: Being Open
Step Two: Being Connected
Step Three: Being Passionate
Step Four: Listening

The last few chapters of the book have some really unique and invaluable public speaking tips.

Seeking to enhance your communication skills either in groups or just one-on-one?

Then this book just might be for you. Trust me. ☺

---Tom

You Will Love This Book, Trust Me

Interview Project: David Lynch's New Narrative Experiment

What were my dreams as I child?
What am I most proud of?
What are my plans for the future?
How would I like to be remembered?
What is the most important thing in my life?
Do I have any regrets?
When did I first experience death?

On June 1, people all across America will share their answers to these questions when David Lynch’s new “Interview Project” debuts.

“Interview Project” features 121 interviews captured throughout America. One 20,000 mile road trip over 70 days. Each personal narrative is three-to-five minutes in length.

A new interview will be released every three days for the next year. You can read more about the series on About.com.

If the past year is any indication, it’s clear an enormous shift in video storytelling is occurring: personal narratives is one heck of a shortcut to create emotional connections with viewers.

Can you imagine how powerful it would be if organizations started incorporating short narratives into their internal and external communications strategies?

Organizations have databases for numbers. Why not a database of stories? Why not have a narrative "Story Center?"

Imagine a story center where short narratives like those in the “Interview Project” explored new ideas, concepts, values, challenges, community projects, and more with employees, potential recruits, shareholders and customers.

Personally, I think we're just beginning the journey.

What do you think?

Are we entering a period where video stories are playing a critical role in communicating? Will new video technology shape how organizations communicate, motivate, and inspire others?

Am I too far off? Does this make sense? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

---Tom

David Lynch's "The Interview Project"

Video Storytelling for Business: My Latest Interview

I had a fabulous and lively one-hour radio interview last night on "Blog Business Success" hosted by Wayne Hurlbert.

This was my second appearance on Wayne's show and I was thrilled to be asked back.

Wayne definitely asks interesting questions and they're usually from a customer's perspective, which I love. His questions are always challenging and thought-provoking. Wayne has the most amazing folks on his radio show so be sure to put him on your radar.

Here's the interview: Blog Talk Radio: Video Storytelling for Business

And here's the link to download the interview.

It's just over an hour so grab some tea, a scone and kick back. We covered lots of ground but here's a sampling of topics:

• 4 steps a company should take before starting a video.
• Why I call videos "video stories."
• The journey from "Huh?" to "A-Ha!"
• Is a director really needed in a company video?
• Tips for a successful conversational interview.
• The latest video trends organizations can tap into.

Bonus
Financial Times interviewed me last week and other producers for their article exploring how companies are using corporate documentaries. You need to register for free to access the article, "Good Enough for an Oscar."

As always, thanks for your attention; I know it's in short supply. :)

---Tom

Thomas Clifford Interview: Video Storytelling for Business

Eye Contact: Have You Noticed This Shift?

"The eyes have one language everywhere." George Herbert / Welsh poet

Hooked. Captivated. Hypnotized.

That’s exactly how I felt the first time I interviewed someone looking directly into the camera. And I felt this way for good reason; it’s how we talk to one another.

But for all too long, video conversations have struggled to feel “natural” and “organic.” That’s because video technology wasn’t available to allow direct eye contact until only recently.

Typically, people have been prompted with pre-written scripts. Or people look off-screen to the left or right. Heck, we don’t look to the left or right when we are talking to someone and we don’t memorize our lines ahead of time, either.

The era of “impersonal video conversations” is finally changing. There’s a subtle shift happening in “video land.” So subtle, in fact, you probably haven’t even noticed it.

This shift is real and terribly important to your audience and marketplace.

With the help of a simple component that connects to the front lens of a video camera, we can easily have someone look and talk conversationally to an audience…right into their eyes.

This may not seem like a big deal…but it is.

Here’s why.

Let’s say you’re having a conversation with a friend. And they’re reading from a pre-written script while looking directly at you. You’d feel pretty awkward, right?

Let’s call this “Stage 1” in the evolution of video conversations.

If we took this real life conversation and “mapped” it onto a TV screen, it would come across like this: “Just listen and look at me while I read a pre-written message.”

Most of the times, there wasn’t much “heart” in this type of delivery. “Real” people struggled trying to perform effortlessly like an actor and came across unnatural.

The attributes of “Stage 1” conversations are:
1. Precise
2. Forced
3. Remote

Of course, portable film and television gear in the early days wasn’t available so using the TelePrompTer for company messages was common and widespread.

This was the predominant form of communication for many companies in the 1960’s through the 1980’s. But think about this: the TelePrompTer is designed for the written word. Messages were carefully crafted as if they were going to be printed and read; not seen and heard.

Stage 2.
Now picture your friend looking to the left or right while they talked to you. How would you feel? Invisible?

Subconsciously, here’s the visual metaphor in television: “Ignore the viewer and talk to someone else.”

The attributes of this video conversation are:
1. Open
2. Genuine
3. Indirect

By the mid-60's, portable documentary equipment was starting to come onto the scene thus making it possible to film interviews “on the fly” without much set-up. “Stage 2” conversations are fluid, casual, and spontaneous but still missing direct eye contact to the viewer.

Stage 3.
Now imagine a conversation where each of you are looking at one another. This is the latest evolution of video conversations. The breakthrough was popularized by Academy Award winning director, Errol Morris.

For the first time in audio/visual communications, we can now capture candid conversations that closely reflect real life conversations.

Attributes for “Stage 3” conversation are:
1. Compelling
2. Genuine
3. Direct

For a stunning glimpse into how an organization can embrace this “eye-to-eye” concept and emotionally move an audience to new levels, take a few moments to check out my favorite corporate film that Errol produced for IBM. Feel the difference?

In 60 years, the television and video industry has migrated from “read this script and look into the camera” to “speak from your heart and look into the camera.”

Over to you. What do you think?

• Is social media driving video conversations into new areas?
• Are you seeing more examples of direct eye contact in video conversations on the web or from companies?
• Does eye contact even matter?

---Tom

Eye Contact: Have You Noticed This Shift?

7 More Books To Help You and Your Organization Become Better Storytellers

“When facts become so widely available and instantly accessible, each one becomes less valuable. What begins to matter more is the ability to place these facts in context and to deliver them with emotional impact. And that is the essence of the aptitude of Story- context enriched by emotion.” Dan Pink, A Whole New Mind

If there’s one thing the social media “tsunami” has shown us it’s this: storytelling is far from dead.

Now that we can tell our stories to the world in an instant, it might be a good idea to learn some of the basics in crafting an interesting story.

So where do we begin learning to craft our personal stories and the stories about our organization?

This set of books is the second half of my favorite books on storytelling for personal and business use. Each one is unique and offers tremendous insights into the world of storytelling. If you missed the first set of books, you can find them here.

7 More Books to Help You and Your Organization Become Better Storytellers

1. Wake Me Up When the Data is Over: How Organizations Use Storytelling to Drive Results. Lori Silverman

Of all the 14 books listed, this one is the most comprehensive books on organizational storytelling. “Wake Me Up” gives the reader dozens of examples on how to discover, craft and increase the use of stories within an organization. The book is divided into three parts: how stories are being used, specific applications and finally, advice on integrating stories into specific business needs. It’s definitely worth reading several times as it’s packed with dozens of real-life examples covering just about every angle of storytelling.

2. A Little Less Conversation: Connecting with Customers in a Noisy World. Tom Asacker

3. Sandbox Wisdom: Revolutionize Your Brand with the Genius of Childhood. Tom Asacker

Confession time. I’m a huge fan of Tom’s books. While some may say these books don’t technically fall into the “storytelling” genre but more into the “marketing” arena, I’d quickly disagree. Tom magically weaves the concepts of brand loyalty, marketing, customer engagement and how we connect with people using the power of a simple story. Both books use fictional short stories that take us on a fun journey from “business as usual” to “business as it really should be.” Like magic, these fictional stories and conversations quietly weave new ways for us to think about how we might begin approaching our own business practices. Ah, the power of a great story.

4. The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion Through the Art of Storytelling. Annette Simmons

5. Whoever Tells The Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact. Annette Simmons

Not sure where to start in your story journey? Want to start using your own personal stories when networking with others? Think about starting out with Annette’s books. I really, really love the “The Story Factor.” It’s a perfect book for beginners to get their heads wrapped around the power and basic concepts of storytelling. Annette covers the six stories we need to learn to tell, what is a story, storytelling do’s and don’ts and several other important ideas behind telling stories.

6. Squirrel Inc.: A Fable of Leadership Through Storytelling. Stephen Denning

7. The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations. Stephen Denning

I think “Springboard” was the first book I ever bought on storytelling years ago. While Denning’s book is geared more for organizational storytelling, I enjoyed crafting my own springboard stories simply personal practice. “The Springboard” is another great place to start incorporating a single story into your personal or business life.

What, then, is a springboard story? Denning explains a springboard story this way:“…a tiny story- 29 words or 200 bytes- is less a vehicle for communication of large amounts of information and more a tiny fuse that ignites a new story in the listener’s minds, which establishes new connections and patterns in the listeners’ existing information, attitudes, and perceptions…the listeners generate a new story.” (pg. 82-83, The Springboard)

“Squirrel Inc.” offers quite a different take on the power of storytelling through a fable involving a cast of squirrels; yup, squirrels…and the story works like a charm! A must-read, for sure.

BONUS: Of course, don’t forget Seth Godin’s classic, All Marketers Are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World.

Do you have your favorites? What books did I miss? I'd love to hear from you. Share your comments here.

--Tom

7 More Books to Help You & Your Organization Become Better Storytellers