Annette Simmons > Quotes

“It is safe to assume that any individual or group you wish to influence has access to more wisdom than they currently use. It is also safe to assume that they also have considerably more facts than they can process effectively. Giving them even more facts adds to the wrong pile. They don't need more facts. They need help finding their wisdom. Contrary to popular belief, bad decisions are rarely made because people don't have all the facts.”
― Annette Simmons, The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

“In order to tell you a story about who I am and why I am here, I must spend a little time asking myself...questions. This is usually done at a superficial level as quickly as possible."

The self-diagnostic process that finds meaningful stories scares the hell out of people who aren't sure they are living meaningful lives. Once they reflect, most people do find that their lives are plenty meaningful (if a little out of balance). However, the process of self-examination tests your faith that your organization and your group are basically good people with good intentions. Groups that avoid deep examination seem to be anxious that honest self-examination might expose hypocrisy or emptiness. I've found that anxiety to be overstated in most cases."

First attempts at group stories are often highly aspirational in that the story is more about who we wished we were, rather than who we are. Stories that aspire to more than we can back up risk sounding hypocritical."

When our stories are sought and found from the subjective statement that "I have a lot to learn from other people", they invite difference...Gathering stories teaches you how to get outside your own experiences and experience life as others might.”
― Annette Simmons

“The telling and hearing of stories is a bonding ritual that breaks through illusions of separateness and activates a deep sense of our collective interdependence.”
― Annette Simmons, The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

“Other methods of influence—persuasion, bribery, or charismatic appeals—are push strategies. Story is a pull strategy. If your story is good enough, people—of their own free will—come to the conclusion they can trust you and the message you bring.”
― Annette Simmons, Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

“Usually, influence means persuading people to believe what they currently do not believe. They do not believe they need to cooperate with you, that they should change their behavior, or that they should support your goals until they “see” it. Facts don’t help them “see.” The unbelievable (whether it is difficult or unpleasant to see) only becomes believable after they can “see” it through personal experience or a simulation of personal experience—via story. If you believe that the people you want to influence would say yes if they could just “see” what you have seen, use a story to open their eyes.”
― Annette Simmons, Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a story is worth a thousand assurances.”
― Annette Simmons, Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

“When studying tools of influence, people always ask the question, “How can I make them listen to me?” They ask because that is what they think they want to learn. Unfortunately, this can never be learned because it can’t be done. You can’t make someone listen. You can entice, inspire, cajole, stimulate, or fascinate but you cannot make anyone listen to anything. Embracing this fact up-front lets us focus on what we can do.”
― Annette Simmons, Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

“Once you give your attention to the title Don’t Think of an Elephant, no matter how hard you try you cannot not think of an elephant. It is the same way with stories.”
― Annette Simmons, Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact

“There are six types of stories that will serve you well in your efforts to influence others. 1. ”Who I Am” Stories 2. ”Why I Am Here” Stories 3. ”The Vision” Story 4. ”Teaching” Stories 5. ”Values-in-Action” Stories 6. “I Know What You Are Thinking”
― Annette Simmons, Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

“People follow a person who they feel “speaks the Truth.”
― Annette Simmons, Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

“The magic of influence is less in what we say and more in how we say it and who we are.”
― Annette Simmons, Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling

“One story Plato used to teach about the limitations of democracy was about a ship in the middle of the ocean. On this ship was a gruff, burly captain who was rather shortsighted and slightly deaf. He and his crew followed the principles of majority rule on decisions about navigational direction. They had a very skilled navigator who knew how to read the stars on voyages, but the navigator was not very popular and was rather introverted. In the panic of being lost, the captain and crew made a decision to follow the most charismatic, eloquent, and persuasive of the crew members. They ignored and ridiculed the navigator’s suggestions, remained lost, and ultimately starved to death at sea. One”
― Annette Simmons, Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling