+Acumen Storytelling for Change

Module 5 Workshop

ACTIVITIES FOR WORKSHOP 5

Welcome back! Here’s a preview of the activities for this workshop and how you should allocate
your time. Time required will also depend on your team size.

EQ CHECK IN CONCEPT REVIEW (30 MINUTES)

If you are taking this course as a team, you will start your workshop with the EQ Check- In.
Then, move on to thinking about how and where passionate purpose and body language could be
applied in your world.

PASSIONATE PURPOSE EXERCISES (30 MINUTES)

You’ll practice applying different passionate purposes to a given sentence and reflect on that
experience. You will also identify the passionate purpose you plan to incorporate into your
presentation.

TIME FOR ASSIGNMENT 5: REHEARSE & PRESENT (60 MINUTES)

You’ll spend this time preparing for Assignment 5, which requires you to rehearse your story and
video record it for submission. Before putting it on the platform, have it available for others in
this course to review. You’ll want to receive feedback so that you can work on refining your
storytelling skills before submitting the assignment.

WRAPPING UP + NEXT STEPS

What to bring

Everyone needs to bring your latest version of your story and your favorite “passionate purpose.”
If you already have a plan to integrate body language into your storytelling, please be ready to
share that with your peers.

Recommended Supplies

• A printed or electronic copy of this guide

• Something to keep time with
• Something that allows you to record yourself (i.e. a phone with video camera, a PC with
webcam, etc.)
EQ CHECKIN AND CONCEPT REVIEW (30 MIN)

Complete the EQ Check-In as a team (10 min)

The team facilitator can ask these questions to the team:

• How are you feeling?

• How present do you feel? (in terms of %)
• What is going on for you personally or professionally that is preventing you from being
100% present?

Reviewing the Key Concepts

In this module, we introduced a tool called Passionate Purpose as a way to enliven your
presentation and engage your audience. Then, we discussed the importance of body language -
the value of having congruency among your visual, vocal and verbal messages.

Mehrabian’s Elements of Communication

55% Visual, 38% Vocal, 7% Verbal

Discuss:

• Do you agree with the ‘Mehrabian’s Elements of Communication’? Reflect on your

personal experience and share your view
• What is your default communication style in respect to your visual, vocal and verbal
messages? Do you have a plan to work on any of these? Have you received any feedback
on your use of body language in the past?
PASSIONATE PURPOSE EXERCISES (30 MIN)

Prepare to practice (2 minutes)

Each member of your team should select one Passionate Purpose (from the Reading, also on the
next page). Do not reveal your choice to the rest of the team.

Practice and make a guess (15 minutes)

With a selected Passionate Purpose in mind, each person should read the following sentence:
“I’d like to talk to you today about some real possibilities.”

The rest of the team should try to guess what each teammate’s chosen Passionate Purpose was.
The presenter should repeat the sentence with more Passionate Purpose if people are unable to
guess correctly. Have fun with this!

Notice how the presenter’s voice, body language, facial expression and energy all change
naturally, without thinking about it very much, when you choose a Passionate Purpose and make
your intention clear. This is the power of Passionate Purpose. It helps to make us more inspiring!

Passionate Purpose

Finally, have each person share with your team the Passionate Purpose he or she chose for his or
her presentation. Share how each of you will incorporate this purpose into your presentation.
Reflect on various ideas for how you could be even more creative at expressing your Passionate
Purpose in your presentation. Seek additional suggestions if necessary.
PASSIONATE PURPOSES
Admit Gloat
Accuse Impress
Admonish Indict
Alarm Inspire
Amuse Motivate
Apologize Paint a picture
Argue Plead
Attack Punish
Beg Reassure
Calm Reveal
Challenge Shake up
Clarify Shame
Condemn Share secret
Confront Shock
Console Speak your truth
Convince Stand your ground
Dazzle Surprise
Defend self Tantalize
Deny Taunt
Dismiss Vindicate
Elicit empathy Warn
Elicit remorse Welcome
Excite Win over
Forgive
Get attention

Are there other “passionate purposes” that you want to add to this list?
REHEARSE AND PRESENT (60 MIN)

Rehearse individually (~10 minutes)

Use this practice time to get started on Assignment 5. For Assignment 5, you will need to present
your story AND give enough context of the presentation before the story and a follow up
explanation after the story to convey how you would deliver the key message of your
presentation.

Spend some time thinking about what you will say so that all of these components are covered.

Present to each other (no recording)

Each member of your team should take turns presenting. Wherever possible, simulate the setting
in which you will be presenting your story (e.g. simulate people sitting round a conference room
table, or people sitting in a community, outdoor space, or many people in an auditorium, etc.)

When your teammates are presenting, use the feedback criteria from the previous module (also
on the next page) to provide feedback. Specifically, look for two things that are working for
her/him and offer one suggestion for how he or she could modify the presentation.

Record

Record each other to finalize work for Assignment 5. Make sure you indicate how your visual
aids/props will be used. It is okay if you want to do this individually after the team workshop as
well.
FEEDBACK RUBRIC FOR PEER REVIEWS
Use this rubric to evaluate 3 different stories.

• Always begin with one or two things that are working well for the presenter Endorse
before giving constructive feedback
• Then invite the presenter to consider changing one aspect of what he/she has presented
(i.e. something that might be done differently, improved or enhanced)

Is the story supporting the key message?

The story clearly relates to and underscores the presenter’s key message.

Does the presenter use the storytelling techniques introduced in the course?

The presenter is using many or all of the following skills:

• Viscerally re-experience the moment Provide lots of sensory details

• Use the present tense
• Use “bullet phrases”/avoid using connecting words
• Play different roles without lots of “she said/he said”

Are appropriate visuals/props used?

The visuals or props were effective in supporting the story and bringing it to life, making it
clearer or more emotionally powerful.

Does the presenter inspire you to action?

The story and other information presented inspires you to follow this presenter and his or her
ideas around his/her change initiative.

• Were you aware of him or her using Passionate Purpose?

• If the presenter’s voice and body language were congruent with their content, make sure
you give them positive feedback!
WRAPPING UP AND NEXT STEPS
Nice work! This was the second to last workshop for this course. Finish it up with a moment for
‘Ahas’ and prepping for your next workshop.

AHAS (5-10 minutes)

Reflect on your Ahas individually and then share them with your team.

Take 1-2 minutes to write down your Aha from Module 5: a key take-away, a new perspective,
a memorable comment or questions, or a parting thought

 Share your Ahas in your team

 (Optional) Take your team photo

Preparing for your last workshop

Make sure your next Storytelling Workshop, the last one!, is

on the calendar and that all team members can attend (approximately 1.5 -2 hours needed)

Appoint a team leader who can be the facilitator for the next one

Don’t forget to submit your Assignment 5 before moving on to Module 6!