1.5 Execution Lab: Influential Storytelling Sample

Step 1: Choose the Idea You Want to Influence (5 min)

Pick one real message:

• A proposal

• A behavior change

• A strategic shift

• A lesson you want others to adopt

Write:

“The belief or action I want to influence is ______.”

Stories are tools. Define the target first.

Step 2: Build the 3-Part Arc (10 min)

Structure your story:

1. Setup

What was the situation?

What was at stake?

2. Struggle

What went wrong?

What tension or challenge existed?

3. Shift

What changed?

What insight or decision emerged?

Keep it under 90 seconds when spoken.

No wandering.

Step 3: Clarify the Influence Point (5 min)

Finish the sentence:

“This story shows that ______.”

If the lesson isn’t clear, the influence won’t land.

Tie it directly to the decision or behavior you want.

Step 4: Test for Emotional Connection (5 min)

Ask yourself:

• Is there tension?

• Is there a human moment?

• Would someone see themselves in this?

• Does it feel real—not polished?

Trim any fluff.

Step 5: Tell It Live (Within 7 Days)

Use the story:

• In a meeting

• In a pitch

• In a one-on-one

• In a presentation

Deliver it calmly. No over-dramatizing.

Afterward, reflect:

• Did attention increase?

• Did the room shift?

• Did it clarify the message?

Optional AI Story Refiner

Paste your draft and ask AI:

• Where is the hook weak?

• Where does the tension peak?

• Is the takeaway clear?

• What could be cut for brevity?

Refine once. Keep it authentic.

Deliverable

You leave with:

• One tight 90-second influence story

• One clear message embedded

• One live delivery completed

Influence increases when ideas are felt—not just understood.