Storytelling Deconstructed with Sophie Wadsworth

Stories—personal, memorable, and moving—have the capacity to change people’s minds, touch their hearts, and excite their brains. But what makes for a good story? This episode features Sophie Wadsworth, who coaches leaders to be better storytellers. She and host Douglas Spencer look at what a good story requires and how to find it within yourself or others. Douglas also takes a stab at storytelling himself.

Key Takeaways

Stories have to have relatability, conflict or tension, and resolution or change.
They should also have specificity and detail about you—the speaker or writer. Stories that capture how you feel will connect with the audience.
More detail the better, because listeners have not experienced the story. You already have. It’s important to share those details.
Vulnerability in storytelling creates both connection and credibility. Start with finding a safe space to explore and share.
Everyone has a story to tell. Even the most simple stories can help you connect with others.
Anything eccentric or strange, actually maybe relatable.
Jot down anecdotes and stories as they happen and save them for future use!
Stories help you affect change while simply being yourself.

“We're so complex; we're mysteries to ourselves; we're difficult to each other. And then storytelling reminds us we're all the same.” —Brad Pitt Click to Tweet

Episode Guest

Sophie Wadsworth. Sophie Wadsworth is an executive coach, writer, and nonprofit consultant. She has a passion for helping mission-focused leaders tell their personal and organizational stories. Sophie has worked as an adjunct professor of English and, for over fifteen years, served as a nonprofit executive and public speaker.

Drawing on her leadership and storytelling expertise, she coaches leaders to develop their stories and craft inspiring communications for keynote audiences, community stakeholders, and prospective funders. Clients who work with her come away feeling confident in their ability to deliver a presentation that inspires and changes hearts and minds.

Sophie is the author of a collection of poems, Letters from Siberia, and was recently chosen as a storyteller for WGBH’s Stories from the Stage, an award-winning WORLD channel series.

She has a bachelor of arts in history (with honors) from Trinity College-Hartford and a master of arts in English from The University of New Mexico. Sophie lives with her family in Greater Boston and counts her ten-year-old son as one of her best storytelling mentors.