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| Yes, I am re-purposing this springtime pic from Pixar Pier :) |
Most everyone knows that folks at Pixar are the best storytellers around.
(And if you've read my blog, you know I am a big Disney/Pixar fan!)
But did you know that you can tell stories about your talents, business, or product in the same way that they do? And that you can do it in under a minute?
Revealed by former Pixar story editor Emma Coates, each Pixar movie follows a six-step storytelling sequence. It's called the Pixar Pitch. It is memorable, concise, and has momentum that keeps everyone engaged.
Here is their storytelling formula:
1. Once upon a time...
2. Every day...
3. One day...
4. Because of that...
5. And because of that...
6. Until finally...
You can plug the storylines from Toy Story, Cars, or any of the Pixar greats into this template and see for yourself.
Because I am always trying to bring a little Disney/Pixar magic into my work, here's how I use the Pixar Pitch to tell a story about what I do.
Once upon a time, there was a company where people were promoted to leadership positions, but they didn't receive any formal leadership training to support them with their new responsibilities.
Every day, people who were very talented in their area of expertise now juggled the challenges of motivating and coaching others toward success. Some were effective leaders, but they weren't sure exactly how they did it. Many were not effective leaders; employee engagement was down, and employee turnover was up.
One day, longing to improve, the company hired me to deliver a well-researched and respected leadership program that was tailored precisely to their needs.
Because of that, people learned the ins and outs of leading others. Through dynamic instruction, group activities, and application, they were taught how to build trust, coach others, manage conflict, and give impactful recognition and feedback. They created realistic plans for driving engagement, delegating with purpose, setting performance expectations, and tracking measurable goals. 🎯 (They even had fun along the way!)
And because of that, the company's teams were more cohesive and productive. Business results skyrocketed! 🚀
Finally, all the leaders in the company, and any who were promoted into leadership roles from that point on, shared both a common language for discussing leadership and practical tools for getting great results.
Okay, I admittedly don't start my conversations off with "once upon a time," but with a few tweaks and personalization, this sequence helps tell a memorable story.
I encourage you to have fun with it and see if you can bring a little Pixar magic to the stories you tell about your skills, product, or company. 🪄