anti-drugs campaign in the late 80’s, this is your brain, and now this is your brain on drugs?
Your brain, when listening to a story, reacts in the exact opposite manner. When you are listening to a story, both hemispheres of your brain are engaged, neurons are firing, and listening and retention of information are at the highest levels.
When I was first introduced to the concept of using story in the sales profession by Mike Bosworth, I was a very excited. Why? Because I have been a story teller all my life. When I was in high school, I remember friends chiding me, telling me that if my lips were moving, I was telling a story! So, it is something that I have done all my life and unknowingly, is one of the reasons that I am successful in sales.
Why story works, for great salespeople and great communicators, is what I needed to understand. The brain science behind why story is so effective on the human mind convinced me that story is not just for those in Hollywood, but storytelling is integral to sales in the forming of sincere and authentic connections.
So, what is the impact of story on the brain? Well, to start, our brain is comprised of two almost completely separate right and left hemispheres, only connected by a small bridge-like structure called the corpus collosum. Each side of our brain is responsible for radically different functioning.
The left side of our brain is analytical, data driven, and concerned with the past and the future.
Those of you who are fans of the good old to-do list are probably spending quite a bit of time in your left hemisphere. Also, we process language on the left side of the brain, so we can easily articulate the data and synthesis of that data as it pours into our minds from the external environment. In complete contrast, the right hemisphere is responsible for our creativity, emotions, decision-making, and presence of mind. I know this is a simplification of the brain, but I try to keep things simple!
I consider myself to be a "right brained person." I think that some people believe that right brained people skip through life with few worries and an effortless ease of mind. Well, maybe more so than left brained people, but we do have worries, believe me! And, while it is easy to comprehend that the right side of the brain seems to be fun and carefree, we need ready access to both sides of the brain to process and act on information effectively.
This is where story comes into play. The offer of a story prepares the mind for an optimal state of listening and retention because it accesses both the left and right hemispheres. When you ask someone if you can share a story, that person realizes that it is okay to sit back and relax, but also recognizes that the message might be important and requires attention.
Think back to your most dreaded school days of data filled lectures full of bullet points and timelines. Did you enjoy those classes, or even remember any of that presented information? Probably not. I know I don't!
The reason we don’t remember material presented in this manner is because our brains are not wired to retain data in this way for long periods of time.
In contrast, recall one of your favorite teachers or favorite documentaries of all time and try to recap some main points. Most of us find this a relatively easy task because our brains crave context to wrap around facts, which is the definition of story.
If facts are the cheeseburger, then story is the bun that holds it all together.
Story is an integrated whole brain process, and while it is nothing new, the effective use and harnessing of the power of story helps us connect and influence at a whole new level.
In his research on how stories change the brain, Paul Zak has identified the two key components to creating engaging stories and demonstrates what that looks like from a neurochemical perspective:
- A compelling story must grab our attention.
- We must feel an emotional connection to the characters and we experience “transportation,” or the feeling that we are living the moment ourselves. Zak's 6 minute video about Ben, who has brain cancer will bring a lump to your throat and illustrate the power of empathy within story.
Every great film has these ingredients, and triggers the release of specific neurochemicals in our brain.
When we are paying attention to a story we release stress hormones such as cortisol, and our focus is quite high.
Once our attention has been captured, a great story will release oxytocin in our brain. Oxytocin is sometimes called the “love hormone,” and is responsible for our levels of empathy and sensitivity to social cues.
By understanding the brain science and the why behind effective stories, we have created a framework to help sales professionals leverage this skill to influence and emotionally connect with buyers in a short time.
Learn how to effectively craft, tell, and tend stories in the sales profession to influence positive change and generate more business at the next Mike Bosworth Leadership open workshop in San Diego, CA this February 10th-12th, 2015. Click on the link below for more details.
Good Selling!
http://www.mikebosworthleadership.com/storytelling-workshop-february-2015/
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