“Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.”
We’ve all heard that before.
But I can one-up you on that.
How about re-telling a story back to the storyteller?!?
In my recent interview with podcast host and epic storyteller, Terry O’Reilly, that’s exactly what happened. I shared one of Terry’s stories back with him!
We were talking about elevator pitches. I shared that my favorite elevator pitch of all time is from the Sigourney Weaver “Aliens” movie.
I asked Terry O’Reilly if he knew what the “Aliens” elevator pitch was?
Terry: “Jaws in space.”
Andrea: “Wow – I probably learned that from you, Terry.”
Terry: “Yeah, you may have.”
Andrea: “Oops!”
For those of you who have heard Terry O’Reilly’s podcast, “Under the Influence,” you know you’re in for a treat with this Talk About Talk podcast episode.
Terry is an epic storyteller. He’s also an encyclopedia of knowledge. And yes, he’s every bit as insightful –and gracious– when he’s off-script.
For those of you who haven’t heard Terry O’Reilly, wait til you hear his fabulous voice and his storytelling wisdom…Thank you, Terry!
Now, let’s talk storytelling.
3 Things to Talk About This Week
- The anatomy of a story
- Your “bug” is your “feature”
- My Best Mistake
1️⃣ The anatomy of a story
If you’ve read my newsletters or listened to my podcast, you know I’m a big fan of “the power of three.” I was happy to hear that Terry is too!
Terry suggested that most stories fall apart because the teller hasn’t paid attention to their structure – to the three things all stories need:
- a beautiful teasing opening
- a really sumptuous middle
- an inevitable end
Terry added that the same 3-point structure applies to humor as well. “Two knocks at a door is one thing, but 3 knocks is funny… I call them Bingo bango bongo moments.”
More evidence for the power of three.
Make 3 your default!
2️⃣ It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.
If you’ve been paying attention, this point has come up in recent conversations with author & marketer Ron Tite, thought leader Seth Godin, and Harvard professor Jill Avery.
“It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.” What does this mean?
In other words, your weakness, or better yet, your “bug” can become a unique, memorable “feature” in your personal brand.
When I’m coaching clients about personal branding, we’re always looking for the thing that makes them stand out – their point of differentiation. Often, it’s something they previously thought was a bug.
Master storyteller Terry O’Reilly agrees. If you can reframe your “bug” into a memorable story, you create a clear point of differentiation. Your story makes you unique.
Personal branding at its best!
3️⃣ My Best Mistake
Speaking of bugs, sometimes our failures can be the best thing that ever happened to us. Just ask Steven Speilberg, Scottie Bowman, Ellen DeGeneres, The Dixie Chicks, I could go on. Just ask Terry O’Reilly!
In Terry’s most recent book, “My Best Mistake,” he chronicles how some of the biggest personal breakthroughs and best-loved products originated with a mistake.
Velcro was invented after engineer George De Mestral’s dog wound up rolling in a bush full of burrs. Bubble wrap came from a failed attempt at making textured wallpaper.
The world of inventions is filled with stories like these and I can bet you now want to know what kind of wallpaper they were hoping for! And how they turned around and marketed it as bubble wrap.
My Best Mistake by ep 173 guest Terry O’Reilly, tells the story of failures and how these mistakes not only became a fascinating narrative but also a unique part of the brand story!
There you go – 3 things to Talk About this week:
- The anatomy of a story
- Your “bug” is your “feature”
- My Best Mistake
You can my full conversation with Terry O’Reilly by listening to this week’s Talk About Talk podcast ep.173 on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Talk soon,
Dr. Andrea Wojnicki
executive communication coach