April 22, 2024
There’s a heated debate on what structure to use in business storytelling.
Should it be Aristotle’s 3-step structure, Freytag’s 5-step structure, or even the Hero’s journey consisting of freaking 17 steps?
Here’s what I think:
Most of the stories that you will tell at work should, ideally, be between 1-3 minutes long.
Sure, if it’s a phenomenal story and your audience loves you, it can go a bit longer. But other than that, the most impactful stories tend to be shorter. They focus on the most important moments and remove any unnecessary details.
Knowing that, I’ve developed a short, but powerful structure, called C.A.R.T. It consists of 1) Context, 2) Adversity, 3) Resolution, 4) Takeaway.
Think of your story structure like a shopping cart in a supermarket. It holds together all the important parts of your story, just like a cart holds your groceries.
Or if you want to keep it really simple, just remember that the structure rhymes with ‘fart’.
Step 1. Context
In the first step, set the scene by giving some background. Where and when is the story happening? Who’s the main character, and what do they want? Keep it short and snappy so you can dive into the most exciting part of the story quickly—the adversity.
Step 2. Adversity
Moving on, it’s time to introduce the challenges the main character is facing. It could be a tough decision, a relationship problem, or a physical obstacle. Whatever is substantial to the main character. This is the longest and most crucial part of the story. Describe the struggle, show what’s at stake, and let the listener know how the character feels.
Step 3. Resolution
Next, reveal how the character responds to the challenge and what happens in the end. What actions or decisions does the character take? Where does it lead, and how does it transform the character?
Step 4. Takeaway
In the final step, share what you learned from the experience. What realization did you have? What’s the point of the story? Connect it back to your audience and the situation. Share a relevant takeaway in just one or two sentences. Instead of saying “You should take away,” frame it as “What I learned from that experience.” This way, you won’t come across as preachy.
Let’s look at a full story to see the structure in action.
Here’s a story that I tell once in a while in workshops to get people ready to embrace change.
1. Context: “In April 2022, I went to the dentist in Amsterdam for a routine check-up. After looking at my teeth for a few minutes, the dentist suggested to add 1mm of filling to my front teeth. Years of grinding my teeth, made them very small. It sounded like a good idea.
2. Adversity: “30 minutes later the dentist was done. She took off her blue gloves, looked at me, and asked, ‘So how do your new teeth feel?’
I said, “it feelth good. Wait a thecond? Why am I lithping? This ith bad? I make money through thpeaking!”
The first day my new teeth felt completely alien. I lisped, my teeth clashed, and I even spat. Thinking that this would stay, I started to worry, “I’ll have to find a new job. No one’s gonna invite me to speak anymore. I probably have to go back to banking, working all day on some stupid excel sheet.”
3. Resolution: “On the second day it still felt weird, but it started to feel a little less weird. I hated it, but I reminded myself to be patient.
One week later it was completely fine. I didn’t even notice the filling anymore. Not that I have the most beautiful teeth. They’re still a bit short and gray. But I’m now pretty happy with my new teeth.”
4. Takeaway: “That’s what change is. At first, change will feel a little odd. Maybe you won’t like it. But after a few rounds, it will feel more natural.”
Take any challenge that you’ve faced in your life and structure it according to the 4 steps: Context, Adversity, Resolution and Takeaway. Or CART.
Your story will have the perfect flow.
The structure is the foundation of any story. Once you’ve gotten familiar with the structure, you want to spice up your stories. To know how, you can check out my book, The StorySelling Method or check out the next article in which I share 4 Most Important Elements of The Greatest Stories.
Enjoy!
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