Esther Choy, Author at Leadership Story Lab

The Science of Storytelling

Woman holds pages, ready to write business story.

At 12:30 on a Friday afternoon, the last entrepreneur stood up at the business plan competition and started her slide deck. Eyes began to glaze. Stomachs growled. But as the presenter unfolded a suspenseful story, the audience’s attention was riveted. Heads nodded. Laughter rippled. The half hour sailed by. Storytelling clearly produces measurable results. Cognitive…

Overcoming Nervousness

What do you do when you become nervous before giving a public talk? Esther offers 3 tips to overcoming nervousness for public speaking.

Best Practices for Engaging Your Audience: 35 Tips

A good presentation is not about how well we speak. It’s about how well we connect. We think about these connections constantly at Leadership Story Lab, so I’ve developed a set of best practices for engaging your audience. Here are 35 key tips based on information I’ve been gathering since I founded Leadership…

“The Bad News Is…”: How To Say the Hardest Things

In November 2004, Tysabri, a drug treatment for multiple sclerosis, received a rare boost from the FDA. Because the disease is so serious and the drug held so much promise, the FDA decided to fast-track Tysabri’s path to MS patients. A celebratory mood took hold at Biogen and Élan, the two pharmaceutical companies that…

How to Write a Compelling Story Quickly

How do you write a compelling story without spending a whole lot of time? Esther walks through the 3-Act Formula. Remember to tell your story from the beginning, middle and then end. But when you develop your story, think about Act 1, then Act 3 and finally Act 2.

Coping with Post-Interview Anxiety

Part Two in a 3-Part Series on interviews. Read Part One and Part Two. Many of us are wrong about our impressions of how an interview went. This gives us unnecessary post-interview anxiety. Take Diane Duthweiler, for instance. She was interviewing for an internship at a TV station when her interviewer, who had been leaning…

How To Make The Case for Better Data Presentations

It’s a typical workday at a large company in the suburbs. Danielle Largay looks at her calendar and sees she has a presentation to attend. What does she expect? Presentations at her company—like those at many others—tend to be very fact based: “This is where we are, this is where we’re going, here’s the…

Show Don’t Tell

How do you engage your audience’s imagination? Esther recommends “Show, Don’t Tell” with an example.

Captivate Audiences With Your Travel Stories

You’ve just come back from a relaxing, fun-filled vacation. You have so many stories to tell. How do you make sure to share your travel stories in a way your audience will love? Esther answered this question in a recent interview with Elissa Leibowitz Poma at Independent Traveler (now Smarter Travel)! Read all about it!…

Shake It Up! Storytelling Makes Recurring Events Sparkle

People come to an event with preconceived ideas about how it’s all going to play out. Especially when it comes to annual events, people brace for the predictable. And that can decimate your attendance numbers. And when people can predict that meetings or data-heavy presentations will make up the bulk of the events schedule, they’ll…