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Most co-workers will groan when you present to them. All co-workers will love it when you tell a story. In the corporate, most people present and very few people tell a story. In the movie industry, it is the other way around. Everyone in the movie industry is trying to tell a story, success goes to those who tell stories well. To present in the movie industry is probably the kiss of death, so presenting is not even an option.

Your co-workers will enjoy your story telling when you do the following:

• They want to know the context of your pitch. What is the bigger picture and where does what you are saying fit in? How is it relevant to the current situations facing them.
• Just like a well made movie, they want your facts, figures, conclusions, and recommendations to transition smoothly while building excitement.
• They want to feel you are having a conversation with them, not speaking to them.
• They want to see themselves in the story. How will they stand to gain or lose? How can they help and what should they do to end your story on a happy note?
• They want to see you overcome barriers, conflict, and obstacles. They want you to show resilience in how you answer their questions.
• They want to know more about you, they want to see and feel your passion and personality. A wooden delivery style will not achieve that outcome.
• Don’t be boring! Show your creativity. Avoid template driven delivery. Have the right level of humor.
• They want to know if you are committed. They don’t want a mere journalist who is reporting the news, but someone who is willing to roll up his or her sleeves and be part of the solution. They want you to have a personal stake in what you are presenting.

To use a film-based analogy, you need to understand the difference between the story telling done in a TV ad, a YouTube clip, a short documentary, a TV serial and a full length movie. In the workplace, the equivalent is, conversations, short meetings, workshops, webcasts, webinars, and town hall meetings.

A lot of preparation goes into high stakes presentations, oops, storytelling. But for the routine, run of the mill meetings, there is not enough time to prepare. Yet, you will gain from being memorable by telling stories even in the day to day interactions with co-workers.

Yes, it is possible to tell a story in almost all work situations. It is a mind set that will come from being in the moment and constantly preparing yourself for your interactions.