storytelling and motivating - kodyaz · storytelling: how to move the masses 3. agency it’s not...

Storytelling and Motivating

Storytelling: How to

Move the Masses

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Storytelling: How to Move the Masses Global reach of change happening all around the globe


Storytelling: How to Move the Masses 1. Emotional Hook

Some emotions inhibit action, but other emotions facilitate action.

• Action is inhibited by inertia, fear, self-doubt, isolation, and apathy.

• Action is facilitated by urgency, hope, YCMAD (you can make a difference),

solidarity, and anger.

Stories mobilize emotions that urge us to take action and help us overcome

emotions that inhibit us from action.


Storytelling: How to Move the Masses 2. Crisitunity

A moment in time where a critical and urgent challenge is faced, combined with a

unique opportunity to solve that challenge. Combines two powerful motivators:

• Crisis – Something terrible is about to happen.

• Opportunity – We’re on the brink of something great.


Storytelling: How to Move the Masses 2. Crisitunity

Crisis: ‘Two men threw acid on me when I was 15 years old… in the

last 3 months more than 60 attack cases on women in India were

reported’

Opportunity: ‘We can build enormous pressure on our Minister

Shinde and let him know that the whole country is watching his

actions. We have less than a week to do this’

Crisis: ‘We are running the most dangerous experiment in history right

now, which is to see how much CO2 the atmosphere can handle before

there is an environmental catastrophe’

Opportunity: “We have this handy fusion reactor in the sky, called the

Sun. You don't have to do anything, it just works. It shows up every day

and produces ridiculous amounts of power… ‘Solar Panels and these

batteries – it’s the only path that I know that can do this, and I think it’s

something that we must do and that we can do and that we will do.’


Storytelling: How to Move the Masses 3. Agency

It’s not enough for good storytelling to emotionally connect or inspire. We need

to invite people in to be part of the story. To give agency to our audience so that

it’s clear they have a say in how the story ends:

• Theory of Change: A cause-and-effect sequence that begins with an action

the audience can do and ends with the resolution of the crisis.

• Story of us: communicates the values and experiences that a community,

organization, campaign or movement shares and what capacity or resources

that community of “us” has to accomplish its goals.


Storytelling: How to Move the Masses 3. Agency

Story of us: ‘We do it a different way. I'm asking for your help. Tell the world that

in America it is not gonna be billionaires and Wall Street who buy elections.’

Theory of Change: In order for Kony to be arrested this year, the Ugandan military has to find him. In order to find him, they need the technology and training to track him in the vast jungle. That’s where the American advisors come in. But in order for the American advisers to be there, the US gov’t has to deploy them. They’ve done that, but if the government doesn’t believe that people care about arresting Kony, the mission will be cancelled. In order for people to care, they have to know. And they will only know if Kony’s name is everywhere.

’99% of the planet don’t know who he is… If people knew he would be stopped… We are going to make Joseph Kony a household name by targeting 20 culture setters and 12 policy makers.’

Thank You!

storytelling and motivating - kodyaz · storytelling: how to move the masses 3. agency it’s not...

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