Khrushchev's Shoe and Other Ways to Captivate an Audience of 1 to 1,000 / the Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

* Underhill, Roy. (2000). Khrushchev's Shoe and Other Ways to Captivate an Audience of 1 to 1,000. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing. pp 208. * Simmons, Annette. (2001). The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion Through the Art of Storytelling. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing. pp 242. Journalism, media and persuasion scholars alike have long made use, and reference to the use of, stories and narratives. Indeed, entertainment-education scholars argue that folding a pro-social message into a story line - a soap opera or a television show for example-can have an impact on audiences. In fact, Arvind Singhal and Everett Rogers tell us that a needless dichotomy exists in almost all mass media scholarship: media programs must either be entertaining or they must be educational. Yet, both factors can exist within one message. Indeed, famous entertainment-education strategies such as "Hum Log," "Sesame Street" and even "Roots" provided both a socially stimulating message in an entertaining format. This is often what stories can offer us-a way to present socially, or technically, important information in an entertaining manner. It has long been proffered that narrative evidence, anecdotes, and/or case studies play a critical role in the influence process. Nonetheless, little research exists that has examined the actual quantitative effect of stories-particularly in comparison to other kinds of stories. There is a gap in the research that unfolds typologies of narratives, when and where to use them, and to what effect. Two books tackle this very issue: Annette Simons' The story factor, and Roy Underhill's Khrushchev's shoe unpack the idea that stories exist in multiple typologies, and that stories are an effective way to influence individuals. Underhill's text instructs public speakers to make presentations more vivid and interesting by turning them into stories. Underhill's basic proposition is that in lieu of forcing yourself on to your audience, use a people-centered approach to make inventive presentations. Particularly pleasing is his use of lessons from some of today's most diverse personalities such as Garrison Keillor, Larry King, Katie Couric, and historical figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr., and Francis Bacon. It is informative, theoretically sound, and useful for multiple audiences. Simmons' book, unlike Underhill's, serves to explicate the notion of what stories are, and what they can do for us. She provides a variety of excellent stories that can be used cross-situationally, and she argues that stories can do much more than facts can. Annette Simmons argues that storytelling is the one best way to manage a company and its employees without forcing or coercing them into submission. Her background in "collaborative behavior" as a consultant to public and private organizations is used to provide a context for her message. Simmons proffers that storytelling may just be the best management tool available to modern business leaders because it exerts influence in ways that other techniques cannot. And she suggests that stories should not be exclusively used for formal presentations, either. On the contrary, Simmons shows how they can be used effectively in small group settings and even one-on-one situations. Simmons breaks down the kinds of stories into six types that can be adapted to any circumstance: Who I Am, Why I Am Here, The Vision, Teaching, Values-In-Action, and I Know What You Are Thinking. Moreover, she teaches readers how to adopt these stories into their own lives and work environments. Hence, she includes helpful tips on presentation, noting that the words are only part of a package that includes body language, clothing, tone, and other components. Roy Underhill, on the other hand, has written what is much like an interesting well-written textbook. Step by step, this book provides the skills and knowledge necessary to tell stories-and be a more proficient public speaker. …