Thaler Pekar.
Thirty-five-inch sleeves and a wristwatch drove home the point: Telling a story yields an instant connection with people.
I learned this at Thaler Pekar’s excellent “storytelling for nonprofits” keynote at the also excellent Midlands Nonprofit Summit put on Oct. 20 by the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands. Pekar was on stage for mere moments before engaging the audience with a simple exercise: Tell your neighbor a story about something you’re wearing.
Judging by the immediate roar of conversation, my neighbor and I were not the only ones to enthusiastically participate. I was wearing 35-inch sleeves because I have freakishly long arms and the 34/35 length in most men’s shirts makes me look like a schlub. He was wearing a wristwatch purchased at Borsheim’s because he likes to know the time without pulling out his mobile phone. Our stories both involved our families, which enhanced the connection. All that connecting came in a single minute.
And that was the point, or rather one of several points. Pekar had me so engaged, seriously, that this former newspaper reporter forgot to take notes for her first two points. I got the last three, though! Why story matters: Continue Reading…
Today’s the registration deadline for a hugely thrifty opportunity for learning about nonprofit branding, community engagement, and slaying Internet zombies (that is, improving your social networking efforts). Register here for Cause Camp, which runs 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. January 28 at Embassy Suites in beautiful downtown Lincoln, Nebraska.
