The impossibility of hating babies… and other stories from The Moth

Storytelling is hot
In the presentation world, everybody is talking about storytelling. In his book Talk Like TED author Carmine Gallo recommends speakers include 3 stories in every talk. Public speaking gurus advise politicians and business leaders to use stories in their presentations. A quick internet search delivers a huge offering of storytelling workshops and books.

And all for good reason. We love stories. For thousands of years, we have used them to capture, share and understand the human condition. For presenters, stories help you convey your message and persuade with emotion.

The Moth
If you want to improve your storytelling skills, check out The Moth. The Moth is a USbased organization that promotes true stories, told live and without notes. The website is a rich resource on listening to and learning about stories. Their podcast is great.

The impossibility of hating babies
One of my favorite stories on The Moth is called Good News Versus Bad from Erin Barker. She tells about the break-up of her parents and her mother’s pregnancy from a new husband. This could be a tragic story. But she frames it with insight, wit and dry humor as she highlights…

• The dangers of eating ice-cream with her father
• The role of the word “jiggle” in sex education in American public schools
• The impossibility of hating babies

If you want to present with power, it’s important to master storytelling. The Moth is a great resource. Or you can join one of our upcoming Noblahblah inspiration sessions, planned for 15 February, 1 March and 15 March.