Training 04: Story Telling can be used at all stages of Training

The Power of Story Telling

People are naturally attracted to stories.
Learners love to listen to real-life experience of the Trainer.
Learners are interested to hear how other people or other companies implement a certain new idea or a certain strategy.
Learners love to hear the story of a certain problem, what transpired and the subsequent solutions.


When to do Story Telling?

1) At the opening or beginning of Training. Tell a story to draw the attention of the Learners. Motivate the Learners by telling a story.

2) During the training. Use story telling to share about how other people implemented certain principles, concepts or system.

3) During the training. Tell story about how a certain problem was solved by certain people.

4) During the training. Tell story to relate on analysis of certain problems.

5) During the training. Use story telling to do comparative evaluation of 2 different methods.

6) At the ending/closing of Training. Use story telling to do a conclusion.

7) At the ending/closing of Training. Tell a story to summarize the main points of the Training.


What if the Trainer has no personal experience or story to tell?

OPE – Other People’s Experience. Share about other people’s experience that you have heard or read about.

OPS – Other People’s Story. “This is a story I heard when I was attending…..” Re-use other people’s story.


Tips on Story Telling

1) Vary the tone of voice for more effective story telling.
2) Do not be monotonous.
3) Keep seconds of silence sometimes to create suspense.
4) Question the Learners: “In your opinion, what happened next? What was the outcome?”
5) Act it out (if possible).


In the next blog, I will share about Motivating The Learners.