Storytelling and influencing: Communicate with impact

At the heart of persuasive communications is a solid understanding of your audience and what they find appealing. This week you will learn the basic theory of persuasive communication, including models of information processing, motivational appeals, message acceptance, fast and slow decision making and rules of effective human interactions.

Effective storytelling starts with developing persuasive content, and then structuring a dramatic narrative that will spark the imagination. In week 2, you will learn how to apply storytelling principles like shaping the beginning, building the middle, and making the ending powerful. You will learn how to find the winning idea for your story, colour it with emotions, and use metaphors to quickly connect concepts in people’s minds.

Developing rapport and trust is a crucial aspect of persuasion, in fact, it crucial for any form of supportive human interactions. Often times, this means being able to read a situation and adapt the approach accordingly. In week 3, you will learn how to speak authentically, and how to quickly build and maintain rapport. The means by which this can be accomplished include the use of verbal and non-verbal cues and the techniques of matching and mirroring the body language and vocal qualities of the other person.

Group meetings can create lasting impressions, which is why it important that they are well run. But, more often than not, such meetings are unproductive. Stress and tension in meetings are also common. In week 4, you will learn how to lead influential group conversation by planning an effective meeting, be aware of the do’s and don’ts in meeting, avoid groupthink, and how to make better decisions. You will also learn the power of impression management.