#EngageWell: the power of storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful way to grab someone’s attention because we are programmed to respond to a personal drama, rather than the bigger picture. We can use stories to highlight the need for change or investment and to spread great ideas and innovations; they can be pivotal in business decisions – and they can lead to life saving interventions.

Our EngageWell event on 10 March focused on storytelling. One of our speakers, Brian Wilkie, described how he has connected with thousands of people at risk of suicide, by sharing his own recovery on Twitter. A former drug, gambling and alcohol addict who tried to take his own life three years ago after the suicide of his son, Brian now dedicates his life to helping others at that same low point. People connect with him because of his Twitter storytelling @Bryz1.

The Innovation Agency’s Charlotte Hall, the curator of the TEDxNHS talks in 2019, shared her top tips and tricks. Charlotte was joined by one of the 2019 TEDxNHS speakers, Jen Gilroy-Cheetham, a health professional who became a critically ill patient and then resolved to tell her tale, to pass on important lessons to NHS colleagues.

We also explored how to tell stories in blogs, videos, podcasts and sketchnotes, to capture the reader, viewer or listener’s attention right from the start.

Presentations:

Master slide deck