The Power of Storytelling: How to Connect with Your Audience with Andrew Thorp

04/25/23 • 71 min

In this episode of "I Love It Here," we dive into the art of storytelling and its importance in the business world. Our guest, Andrew Thorp, is a professional storyteller and a storytelling coach and consultant who helps technically trained professionals communicate their message in a more creative and engaging way using storytelling techniques.
We discuss the role of storytelling in soft persuasion and brand storytelling. We also touch on the importance of understanding the audience and adapting the story accordingly.
Andrew emphasizes the importance of knowing the audience and saying something that resonates with them. He shares a workshop he conducted for a consulting firm where he used a little trick to get their attention and make them realize the damaging phrases they used in their LinkedIn profiles.
We also discuss the importance of recognizing and elevating moments that contribute to business purposes through storytelling. We emphasize the need to understand the person behind the story and personalize the experience to create an emotional connection.
Andrew shares his experience of participating in a park run race and how it relates to the topic of storytelling. He talks about the importance of stories in making sense of the world and how they provide a template for understanding complex situations.
We also discuss the structure of storytelling and how it follows rules. We mention the importance of context, character, inciting incident, challenge, and resolution in a story. We also emphasize the need for a point in business storytelling and give examples of how to use storytelling in corporate appraisals to visualize future goals.
Overall, the conversation highlights the power of storytelling in various contexts and the importance of understanding its nuances to effectively communicate with others.
If you want to learn more about the art of storytelling and its importance in the business world, give this episode a listen. You can find us on all major podcast platforms, and don't forget to leave us a review!
As always, thank you for tuning in.
Mentions with Timestamps:

"To Sell is Human" by Dan Pink: 00:04:00
The movie "Air" about the Nike Air Jordan story: 00:07:10
Focus modes: 00:29:35
Portrait Artists the Year: 00:32:05
Park Run: 00:35:01
Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey": 00:47:17
"Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" by Max Tegmark: 00:54:48
"Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek: 00:55:47
Fireflies AI (tool): 00:57:13
David Sedaris (author): 01:00:38
Rick Shiels (YouTube channel): 01:02:47

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Connect with our hosts
If you'd like to connect with us or influence the conversations we have, reach out and send us a message or connect with us:
Paul Westlake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/westyphotography
Caleb Foster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebafoster
Jonathan Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unlearningcoach

"To Sell is Human" by Dan Pink: 00:04:00
The movie "Air" about the Nike Air Jordan story: 00:07:10
Focus modes: 00:29:35
Portrait Artists the Year: 00:32:05
Park Run: 00:35:01
Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey": 00:47:17
"Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" by Max Tegmark: 00:54:48
"Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek: 00:55:47
Fireflies AI (tool): 00:57:13
David Sedaris (author): 01:00:38
Rick Shiels (YouTube channel): 01:02:47

Send us a message

Previous Episode

The Importance of Purposeful Learning and Development with James McLuckie

In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with our special guest, James McLuckie, about learning and development and the hospitality industry. James is the Chief Learning Officer at Mapal and shared his insights on enhancing the learning experience for people, the challenges facing the hospitality industry, and the potential benefits of AI in the field.
Before diving into the main topics, we also shared our gratitude moments for the month, discussing the importance of staying connected with people and finding ways to overcome challenges in order to be more productive and creative.
Throughout the episode, we had a lively conversation with James about the purpose of learning and development initiatives, the ideal learning experience, and the importance of mentorship and leadership. We also shared some TV and movie recommendations for listeners.
To wrap up the episode, James shared his information for anyone interested in connecting with him on Twitter or LinkedIn. We want to thank James for being a guest on the podcast and thank our listeners for tuning in. Don't hesitate to drop us a line or discuss anything further.

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Next Episode

From anxiety to TEDx: Gemma Sandwell's journey to finding her authentic self

In this episode of "I Love It Here," we had the pleasure of speaking with Gemma Sandwell, an energy alignment coach. Gemma shared her journey from working in the corporate world to setting up her own business and how she overcame extreme social anxiety using positive psychology. We also discussed the pressure of being a highly sensitive person (HSP) in a corporate environment and the importance of psychological safety and a growth mindset.
Gemma emphasized the need for self-awareness and understanding one's authentic self to determine what kind of self-care works best for them. She shared her experience of setting firm boundaries and taking care of herself before her TEDx talk, which helped her deliver her message effectively. We also discussed the importance of recognizing one's strengths and superpowers, rather than feeling the pressure to have all the answers.
We also talked about the societal impact of rewarding those who shout the loudest and the challenges of being authentic in the workplace. The conversation then shifts to the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) and the potential risks it poses to humanity. We highlighted the importance of being mindful of the impact of technology and the need for leaders to prioritise empathy and flexibility in their approach to managing teams.
Overall, the episode encourages listeners to prioritise their well-being and align their values with their work to create a fulfilling experience. So, if you want to learn more about how to overcome social anxiety, the importance of self-care, and the impact of AI, tune in to this episode of "I Love It Here."
As Gemma Sandwell says, "Test out what works for you." So, go ahead and listen to the full episode to find out what works for you.
Links & Mentions
Books:
Coaching in the Great Unknown by John Ballen - mentioned by speaker 3 at 00:13:35
Coaching with the Brain in Mind by David Rock - mentioned by speaker 3 at 00:15:55
Model:
SCARF model by David Rock - mentioned by speaker 3 at 00:15:55
Tools:
Agent GPT (chat GPT) - a tool for self-learning AI conversation, mentioned at 00:50:42
Articles:
BBC News article on AI and the risk of extinction, featuring Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI) and the executive of Google DeepMind, mentioned at 00:52:11
AI:
Large language models used in AI, mentioned at 00:53:58
TV Shows:
Ted Lasso (mentioned by speaker 5 at 00:56:22)
Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland (mentioned by speaker 4 at 00:56:40)