Storytelling

• Tips and tricks for better storytelling

  Telling A Story

  Policy development job aid: story-telling and decision-making.

  This tool will allow you to communicate effectively in submitting Memorandum to Cabinet, making Treasury Board submissions, or submitting documents to senior management on a policy you developed and wish to have approved.

  Search “Telling a Story” in the GCcampus search bar to find this article.

  Duration:

  Variable

  Methodology:

  Reading

  Course ID:

  N/A

    Read

  7 steps to great visual storytelling

  Are you looking to make your communications more effective? Let images help you enhance your messages.

  In this blog post by Philippe Tardif, Visual Storyteller for Canadian Digital Service (CDS), learn 7 tips for visual storytelling to help you create successful visual communications, discover the emotional impact of images, and improve your communication skills. After all, visual storytelling is not a science; it is within everyone’s reach.

  Duration:

  Variable

  Methodology:

  Reading

  Course ID:

  N/A

    Read

  The secret structure of great talks (English only)

  If you’re looking for the best delivery method for an impactful presentation, look no further. In this TED talk, Nancy Duarte, an expert featured in Fortune, Time Magazine, Forbes, Fast Company, Wired, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Cosmopolitan, LA Times, and on CNN, on presentations, shares key lessons to shape your presentations into inspiring calls to action.

  Subtitles and transcript are available in English and French.

  Duration:

  20 minutes

  Methodology:

  Video

  Course ID:

  N/A

    Watch

  The clues to a great story (English only)

  Want to ensure your storytelling is captivating? Watch this TED conference by filmmaker Andrew Stanton, who provides tips on what to include and avoid when using stories to engage with your audience.

  Subtitles and transcripts are available in English and French.

  Duration:

  20 minutes

  Methodology:

  Video

  Course ID:

  N/A

    Watch

  Comment utiliser le Storytelling : 7 techniques avancées (French only) (How to use storytelling : 7 advanced techniques)

  Théophile Eliet, self-made entrepreneur and investor, presents 7 storytelling techniques, along with examples of how to use storytelling in business environments.

  Duration:

  20 minutes

  Methodology:

  Video

  Course ID:

  N/A

    Watch

  27 techniques de Storytelling pour booster vos écrits (French only) (27 storytelling methods to boost your writing)

  In this article by Sophie Gauthier, web redaction specialist and content marketer, learn her 27 storytelling tips to be able to create a storyline to introduce a project, its result, explain an idea or illustrate an example.

  Duration:

  Variable

  Methodology:

  Reading

  Course ID:

  N/A

    Read

  Discover the art of storytelling

  Part of the “Speak in public” course offered by OpenClassroom, this chapter will help you learn the basics of storytelling as a public speaker.

  Duration:

  Variable

  Methodology:

  Web-based

  Course ID:

  N/A

    Register
• Becoming a storytelling expert

  TED Talk Secrets: Storytelling and Presentation Design for Delivering Great TED Style Talks

  In this book by Jacob Andrews published in 2016, you will learn how you can make your speeches as impactful and engaging as TED Talks.

  Find this book at your library or purchase it from a book retailer ($3-$20 depending on format).

  Duration:

  Variable – 50 pages

  Methodology:

  Reading

  Course ID:

  N/A

  eBook available:

  Yes

  Communicate Your Ideas Through Storytelling and Design

  Follow this course provided by OpenClassroom to learn how to use ideation (sketching, mind mapping, storyboarding) and graphic design to communicate ideas clearly as well as how to tell a story that engages audiences.

  Duration:

  12 hours

  Methodology:

  Web-based

  Course ID:

  N/A

    Register

  Maîtriser l'art du storytelling: Techniques et astuces pour être plus convaincant (French only) (Master the Art of Storytelling : tips and tricks to be more convincing)

  In this book by Nicholas Martin, published in 2015, learn about the secrets of storytelling’s success and mistakes to avoid when building a convincing and engaging story to convey your message.

  Find this book at your library or purchase it from a book retailer ($4 to $10 depending on format).

  Duration:

  Variable – 70 pages

  Methodology:

  Reading

  Course ID:

  N/A

  eBook available:

  Yes

  Equivalence:

  "Let the Story Do the Work: The Art of Storytelling for Business Success"

  Let the Story Do the Work: The Art of Storytelling for Business Success (English only)

  Esther Choy, president and chief story facilitator of the business communication training and consulting firm Leadership Story Lab, Director of the Chicago Public Library Foundation and teacher at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and the University of Zurich in Switzerland, shows you how to use your own experiences to create memorable stories that will persuade your audiences.

  Find this book at your local library or purchase it from a book retailer ($9 to $30, depending on format).

  Duration:

  Variable – 250 pages

  Methodology:

  Reading

  Course ID:

  N/A

  eBook available:

  No

  Equivalence:

  "Maîtriser l'art du storytelling: Techniques et astuces pour être plus convaincant"
• Enhance your communication skills

  Enhance your storytelling skills and help communicate your ideas and information to your audiences to pique their interest and/or inspire action.

  The Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) and ESDC provide many training offers on communication and related skills. To find them, search the keyword “communication” on GCcampus (CSPS) or Saba (ESDC) or explore our selection below.

  Audience and Purpose in Business Writing

  To write effective and appropriate business messages, you need to know your audience and your purpose. Discover how to identify your readers and create messages that convey the appropriate tone for different readers and explore how to write effectively for the three most common purposes: to inform, respond, or persuade.

  Duration:

  0.5 hours

  Methodology:

  Web-based

  Course ID:

  C042

    Register

  Choosing the Right Interpersonal Communication Method to Make Your Point

  Today, there are more communication methods than ever before and the method of communication you choose for a particular situation can have a huge impact on how your message is received.

  Learn how to select the best communication methods to convey your intentions to your target audience to improve the odds of getting your message across and leaving your audience feeling informed, enlightened, and engaged.

  Duration:

  0.5 hours

  Methodology:

  Web-based

  Course ID:

  C045

    Register

  Influence Others with Political Savvy

  When dealing with power and influence, you will inevitably have to navigate political waters. Learn what it takes to use political savvy as an aid to influencing without direct authority.

  Duration:

  0.5 hours

  Methodology:

  Web-based

  Course ID:

  G018

    Register

  Writing and Preparing an Effective Speech

  Learn how to prepare an effective speech, including:

  • Determining your objective and audience profile;
  • Choosing your topic, and;
  • Choosing your topic, and;

  Included are best practices for planning, researching and writing your speech.

  Duration:

  0.5 hours

  Methodology:

  Web-based

  Course ID:

  C065

    Register

  My Leadership Narrative – Create Your Own Story

  Leader’s narrative is a practice of leadership. It is the art of translating values into action through stories. It is essentially a “story” that speaks to both the “head” and the “heart”. It promotes understanding, inspires and mobilizing people to act on behalf of shared values and goals. It allows the Leader to communicate to others who he is as a leader, and what he or she “stands for.” Through his or her Narrative, the leader encourages people to interpret why and how they should invest their energies for shared benefit.

  Duration:

  Variable

  Methodology:

  Reading

  Course ID:

  N/A

    Read

Thinking critically about the information we read and share with one another has never been more important. Discover the resources below to enhance your capacity to think more critically about stories.

Sometimes stories are best told when supported by images. Build your visualization from data by exploring the Data communication section of the Data Literacy page to learn more.