
TED Talk Tuesday #293: The value of storytelling
TED continues to spread ideas and help us all be better critical thinkers. Watching, listening and talking about TED Talks is a popular pastime for many in the CN&CO community. We visit TED.com regularly to clear our heads, have a laugh, learn or get inspired. TED Talks open our minds, spark new ways of thinking and can lead to some very interesting conversations and business opportunities. Each week we pick a favourite and publish it on a Tuesday, because we like how “TED Talk Tuesday” sounds. It’s also a way that the CN&CO team play their part in spreading ideas and helping to make the world a better place.
This TED Talk was chosen by Carel Nolte.
I have always believed in the transformative power and value of storytelling – not just in the books that I read, but also through interactions with family, friends and colleagues. Even strangers, sometimes.
This TED Talk, delivered by David JP Phillips, tells some incredible stories about storytelling – a sort of meta-storytelling, if you like – and how value is added or created when a story is told.
Phillips also shares how storytelling activates powerful hormones in listeners. These include dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins, which elicit strong positive feelings. In contrast, stressful environments filled with cortisol and adrenaline can hinder creativity and decision-making.
So… what is your story?