Gail Anderson - Executive Agent Magazine

E A
The Hero’s Journey
The late Joseph Campbell devoted his life to studying
hero tales from around the world. We can all relate to
an irrepressible hero on a noble quest. The struggles to
overcome, obstacles to negotiate, and sacrifices endured
on the way to ultimate success. When your story echoes
this arc your listener can become the hero or heroine, or
is otherwise rooting for them. That’s the power of story.
Creation Stories
Stories that explain how the world was created, or why
the universe, world or life came to be the way they are.
Found in many cultures around the world, these stories
frame the world we live in, explaining its origins. Your
creation story may explain the lineage of a device, an
industry or your company.
Pourquoi Stories
These stories tell you why and how things are. They
are great for teaching purposes. Stories such as “how the
leopard got its stripes” explain a natural phenomenon or
a reality we all accept. You can tell these why storiesto
explain the advent of trends, policies, research and
migration paths for products and services.
Cinderella Stories
That elusive match, the magical shoe that fits just one
foot; the chase, search or quest that ends in a match.
An unjust oppression that is transcended. The conquest
of love. These are universal sentiments you can tap in
your sales story. Your love story can meld two devices,
technologies, cultures or even ingredients.
From Told to Sold
As you can see, there are countless themes that echo
the human experience. And they work across cultures and
borders. Many of these same themes and motifs are present
in Asian, European, African, Native American and other
cultures. When your story is built atop a familiar theme it’s
that much more believable, tangible and powerful. Sell it
through stories and you’ll live happily ever after!
Craig Harrison is an instructor with the University of
California at Santa Cruz Extension’s Business department,
has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal and cited in
Business Week. As a manager, consultant, publisher and
curriculum developer, he developed his digital dexterity,
helping the technical world train and communicate more
effectively. © 2008, Craig Harrison. All rights reserved. For
information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or
email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com.
ExecutiveAgent Magazine 21