Uplevel Your Impact with Story Structures
Smart Lever Special
Hi Uplevelers,
If you’re on a journey to uplevel your personal or professional life, mastering the art & science of story structure is a game-changer. In this issue, we distill the wisdom from our latest podcast episode featuring our co-founders, who unpack the power of story structures for anyone looking to influence, inspire, and grow.
Why Story Structure Matters for Uplevelers
Stories are everywhere: From Harry Potter to the Ramayana, every memorable narrative follows a structure - even if we don’t always notice it.
Structure is the backbone: Great stories aren’t just about characters and emotions; they’re built on a skeleton that gives them coherence and impact.
Science meets art: While storytelling is often seen as an art, understanding structure brings a scientific, repeatable approach that anyone can learn.
Uplevelers need stories: Whether you’re pitching an idea, building a brand, or leading a team, stories help you connect, persuade, and leave a lasting impression.
The Hero’s Journey and Beyond: Classic Story Structures
The Hero’s Journey:
A universal template where an ordinary person is called to adventure, faces challenges, gathers allies, overcomes a villain (internal or external), and returns transformed.
Think Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, or the protagonist in Lagaan.
Multiple frameworks:
There are dozens of story structures—find one that fits your message.
Bernadette Jiwa’s “Five C’s” scaffold: Context, Catalyst, Complication, Change, and Consequence.
Why structure works:
Provides a roadmap for your message.
Makes your story more relatable and memorable.
Helps you organize complex ideas into a compelling narrative.
How Story Structures Uplevel Your Communication
Clarity and coherence: Structures help you sequence your ideas, so your audience follows and remembers your message.
Repeatability: Newcomers can use frameworks to tell effective stories without years of experience.
Confidence: A blank canvas can be intimidating; a structure gives you “boxes to fill,” making storytelling less daunting.
Creativity within boundaries: Once you master the basics, you can innovate and break the rules - like Christopher Nolan in filmmaking!
Practical Applications for Uplevelers
Personal branding:
Share your origin story, career pivots, or lessons learned using a clear structure.
Example: “My first year at work was tough. I failed, learned, and grew. Here’s how that shaped me.”
Leadership and culture:
Leaders can use stories to reinforce company values, mission, and culture.
A well-structured story can make your vision tangible and inspire your team.
Innovation and pitching:
Frame new ideas as stories to make them accessible and persuasive.
Use structure to guide your audience from problem to solution.
Recruitment and retention:
Stories help attract and retain talent by making your organization’s culture and values come alive.
Building Your Storytelling Toolkit
Start with a structure: Choose a framework that fits your purpose. It could be the Hero’s Journey, Five C’s, or something else.
Fill in the blanks: Identify your protagonist, challenge, journey, and transformation.
Practice, then innovate: Use the structure as training wheels. As you gain confidence, experiment and make it your own.
Collect stories: Keep a journal of personal anecdotes, team wins, and customer successes. Structure them for future use.
Overcoming Common Storytelling Challenges
Fear of the blank page: Structures give you a starting point, reducing overwhelm.
Too many ideas: Frameworks help you prioritize and organize, so your story doesn’t lose focus.
Worried about impact: A well-structured story is more likely to resonate and be remembered.
Story structures aren’t just for novelists or filmmakers. They’re essential tools for anyone who wants to uplevel their influence and impact. By mastering the science behind storytelling, you can communicate more powerfully, connect more deeply, and accelerate your growth.
Until next Friday…
Brought to you by the CTQ Team-helping you build habits, culture, and knowledge for a rapidly changing world. If you wish to uplevel:
Yourself: Watch our YouTube Playlist & join CTQ Compounds.
Your Team: See our Case Studies & connect with us