Need to give a workshop? A presentation? Sales pitch?
Do yourself a favour and use the four C’s from The Moth – one of my all-time favourite resources.
If you’ve not heard of them before, the Moth is all about live storytelling done incredibly well about almost any topic you can imagine. You can listen to their live stories online, attend in-person events and/or listen to their podcast.
One listener describes it as it “ reminds me how fascinating, brave, complex, and fragile we are. We have so much in common, yet every StorySLAM [a Moth event] is unique.”
Stories have a special place in our hearts and our society.
Storytellers, much like trainers, “are the meaning makers in a society, therefore they have a weighty influence and the ability to move humanity forward,” Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes by Elizabeth Lesser.
Back to the four C’s.
The Moth does storytelling beautifully. Their stories draw you in like a moth to a flame. Their stories alternately captivate you, tickle your funny bone, bring tears to your eyes, provoke powerful insights, and/or add a little love to your day.
How do they do it? Through calculations, confidence, comedy, and connection.
1. Calculate
A lot of planning goes into these stories. What looks off the cuff is well-rehearsed and practiced, like your workshop, presentation, or pitch needs to be. Have a strategy. Plan for your key points and how to make them interesting.
2. Confidence
Whether or not they’re actually feeling it, most storytellers on the Moth appear really confident. Yet public speaking is tough for even experienced trainers. Grab some confidence with these public speaking tips and you’ll be on your way.
3. Comedy
Humour, when done well (e.g. making fun with not fun o)f, is incredibly powerful. Not a comedian? Don’t worry, me either. You can use simple games for learning that are specifically designed to amp up learning and engagement through humour and fun. Check out this link for some resources I put together for you.
4. Connection
It’s easy to feel alone when times are tough and stress is high (for ourselves and our training participants). Now, more than ever, making connections is critical. Which is why I put together a bunch of connection examples for you here.
The next time you need to deliver a workshop, presentation, or pitch incorporate the Moth’s four C’s – calculate, confidence, comedy, and connection. Your participants will thank you for it, and you’ll look like the star you are.
Now go on and learn, laugh and lead
Learn
- Check out the many resource links above to get some ideas, support, and further learning.
Laugh
- You won’t feel the need to run away (from public speaking) like this little kid and utterly exasperated dad.
Lead
- Pick an upcoming workshop, presentation or pick and get going on incorporating the four C’s. Share them with a colleague and practice together.
P.S. I recently launched the online version of my Life Lense® online assessment – which clients from all over the world have benefited from, including many UN agencies. Check it out for outta sight insight, including how to reach people who wear different ‘lenses’ than you!
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