HANDOUT 6.1© 2005 AMACOM, A DIVISION OF AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
This handout is available in PDF form at http://www.amacombooks.org/leadershipact.Storytelling Checklist
Telling a good story is easy: All you have to do is remember to include all
these elements, in order. Use this handy checklist.
Paint the scene. Tell where and when this story occurred.
Identify the characters or people in your story. Give them names.
State their predicament or problem.
Clarify the characters’ intentions. What went through their minds as they
tried to handle the problem?
Describe their actions. What did each person do? Be specific.
Include “props” that help provide important details and help the
listeners get into the story. A prop can be any item mentioned in your
story. For example, if your story is about a time you helped your team
through a crisis, you could hold up the frantic E-mails you received
from them—and perhaps even read a short one.
Include a surprise or element of amazement to make the story
memorable. For example, using the story above, a prop could show
a photo of the celebration you held for your team after the crisis
was over.
Tell how it ended.