Why do some stories get remembered and some don’t?
These are the broad patterns that I see in memorable stories that leaders can learn from –
a) Evoking strong emotions – Stories that evoke excitement, compassion (or even outrage) are more likely to be remembered than ones that don’t. This is why social media is full of controversial takes. However, as a leader, it is important to evoke positive emotions even if the story has elements of negative emotion. For example, when there is a threat of eroding market share, leaders emphasise the positive side (a glorious future!) if we successfully overcome the challenges.
b) Relatability – People remember stories that they can relate to. It could be that of personal struggles, community, the environment they live in or individual/group values.
c) Cool and fun – Stories that include humour, spark curiosity, or present a small mental challenge are easier to remember.
d) Surprises – Whenever a story has a twist, unexpected turn or conclusion, we remember them better than ones which have a higher degree of predictability
e) Simple/structured narrative – Stories that are easier to narrate are remembered. For example, typical story format – there is a protagonist, he/she faces a challenge, tries some things and finally overcomes the challenges – is an easier-to-remember format.
Leaders who incorporate one or more of the above elements in their stories are more likely to inspire the right responses from their teams.
I highly recommend reading the book “Made to Stick” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath which gives lots of insights into how some content sticks while most don’t.
What other patterns have you seen make a story very memorable? Please share them in the comments.
