1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: The greatest stories inspire us, terrify us, inform us, and 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: ultimately change us. They might change our lives or simply 3 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: help us get through the day. But if we know 4 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: how central stories are to the human experience, why don't 5 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:24,959 Speaker 1: more of us learn how to craft them more effectively. 6 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: Matthew Dix is a world renowned storyteller and also a 7 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,479 Speaker 1: teacher of storytelling who has witnessed the profound impact of 8 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: storytelling firsthand. Matthew believes that crafting compelling stories isn't just 9 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 1: about influencing others, but also about gaining influence over ourselves. 10 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: When I interviewed Matt I asked him to help me 11 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: improve a story that I was preparing for a work presentation, 12 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: and he walked me through his thought process every step 13 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: of the world. And after delivering this story at the workshop, 14 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: I can tell you that it made so much more 15 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: of an impact. My name is doctor Amantha Imba. I'm 16 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: an organizational psychologist and the founder of behavioral science consultancy Inventium, 17 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: And this is how I work, A show about how 18 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: to help you do your best work? On Today is 19 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: my favorite tip episode. We go back to an interview 20 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,119 Speaker 1: from the past and I pick out my favorite tip 21 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 1: from the interview. In today's show, I speak with Matthew 22 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: Dix about getting some help with a story I wanted 23 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: to tell. So, Matt, I was hoping to get your 24 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 1: advice because I've got a workshop coming up with my 25 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: team on Friday, and it's Tuesday today when we're recording this, 26 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: and I've been racking my brains for the right story 27 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: to open this workshop with. And I need a story 28 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: that's essentially about like not taking something for granted and 29 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 1: sort of you know, treating something with the care that 30 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 1: it deserves. And I've sort of been thinking about times 31 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: in my life where I've you know, taken something for 32 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,119 Speaker 1: granted that like, I haven't spent a lot of time 33 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: on it, but it's in the bend in the back 34 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: of my mind. I've only got one example. It feels 35 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: a bit lame, and I wanted to, like, you know, 36 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: if you can pretend that you are coaching me through this, 37 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: I would love to know how I can get to 38 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: a point where I've actually got a story that then 39 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: I can you know, start to craft. 40 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,119 Speaker 2: So sure, well, what's your what do you have? What's 41 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 2: the thing that's kind of lame? 42 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: So the thing that feels kind of blame is when 43 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: I was in my twenties, I was living in Sydney 44 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:48,359 Speaker 1: and I got a lease on this apartment in a 45 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: city apartment, and it had this amazing view of the 46 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: Sydney Harbor, which kind of like the most beautiful thing 47 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: about Sydney. And I remember the first time I walked 48 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: through that apartment and I was struck by the view 49 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: and I just thought, oh wow, like, I will never 50 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: ever get sick of this view for the entire time 51 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: I live in this apartment. And then several months later, 52 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: and this is where my memory is fuzzy. I think 53 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: I had a party or something like that, and I 54 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: remember people standing on the balcony and just ewing an 55 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: hour ring over the view, you know, and it occurred 56 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: to me I'd broken that promise with myself. I'd forgotten 57 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: the beautiful view and that's kind of all I've got, 58 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: And it's how do I work with that? Or do 59 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: I go I can do better than that, because I 60 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: feel like that's I don't. 61 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 2: Know, right, Well, let's play with that, you know, In 62 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 2: terms of finding other stories, I guess I'll say this, 63 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: it wouldn't be hard for me and I don't think 64 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 2: I'll be hard for you to just look at things 65 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: in your life that you sometimes tak for granted. You know, 66 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 2: I would instantly think my son, my daughter, and my wife. 67 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 2: Any story about them will I can easily transform into 68 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 2: a I'm taking them for granted. 69 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: Right. 70 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 2: My job, I'm sure I'm taking it for granted, And 71 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 2: it's easy, be easy to tell a story about teaching 72 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 2: children and how twenty four years ago I was desperate 73 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: to get a job in teaching, and today I actually 74 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 2: complain about going to work sometimes, right, even though it's 75 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 2: the dream job I wanted and still my dream job today. 76 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 2: So I would just sort of inventory things I take 77 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 2: for granted and then tell a story about that thing 78 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 2: without really even being worried too much about taking for granted, 79 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 2: because I can tell a story about my son that 80 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:34,679 Speaker 2: has nothing to do with me taking him for granted. 81 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: When a story's done, I can say, can you believe 82 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 2: that I take that boy for granted sometimes? That amazing 83 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 2: story that I just told you about my son that 84 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 2: caused you to love him and open your heart in mind? 85 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 2: Can you believe that there are sometimes when he wants 86 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 2: to play a game with me, and I say no. 87 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 2: That is taking things for granted, so easy pivot from 88 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: almost any story, right, anything you care about. So that's 89 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 2: the simple story. But you know what you gave me 90 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 2: was interesting because that's not easy thing the Sydney apartment story, 91 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 2: because it's kind of boring, like it's I bought an 92 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: apartment and then eventually I didn't appreciate it in the 93 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 2: way I should. But the way I might craft it 94 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 2: to make it a little less boring is again at 95 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 2: the beginning, we have to cause people to wonder. So 96 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 2: I would start the story doing something like this. I'm 97 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 2: hosting a party and I look out on the deck 98 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 2: and everyone is staring out at something, and I have 99 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 2: no idea what that something is. Like I have looked 100 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 2: outside my deck for the last three hundred and sixty 101 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 2: eight days, and as far as I can tell, there 102 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 2: is nothing to stare at. And yet for some reason, 103 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 2: I've got music playing in the room, and I've got 104 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 2: things to do in the room, and everyone's got their 105 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 2: eyes outside, and so I'm starting to wonder, like, is 106 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 2: there a whale in the harbor today that I've never like? 107 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 2: You know, it is as a boat sinking in the harbor, 108 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 2: right now right, or you know, has a comment crashed 109 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 2: into the harbor that's caused people to pay attention to 110 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 2: whatever the hell they're paying attention to. So I finally 111 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 2: make my way outside to the deck and I sidle 112 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:12,679 Speaker 2: up against one of my friends and I look out 113 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 2: at the harbor that they can't stop staring at, and 114 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 2: I ask my friend, like, the hell are you staring at? 115 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 2: And then I suddenly know they're staring at the beauty 116 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 2: of the harbor, which a year ago I swore to myself. 117 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 2: I swore to myself that I would never take for 118 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 2: granted because it is one of the most beautiful views 119 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,600 Speaker 2: in the world. But it turns out that if you 120 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 2: stare at the most beautiful view in the world for 121 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 2: a year, it stops being beautiful and just starts being 122 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 2: a view, and that is a tragedy. I would tell 123 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: the story like that, But do you see how rather 124 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 2: than saying I rented an apartment and you told it chronologically, Yeah, 125 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 2: you've got to give them something a wonder about. So 126 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 2: the thing to wonder about is why are people staring 127 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,359 Speaker 2: at a view that I don't care about anymore? And 128 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 2: the realization is I was supposed to care about the 129 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 2: view because it is beautiful and I've just forgotten to notice. 130 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed this extract with my chat with Matthew, 131 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: you might want to go back and listen to the 132 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: full interview, which you can find a link to in 133 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: the show notes. If you're looking for more tips to 134 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 1: improve the way that you work, I write a short 135 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things that I've discovered 136 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: that helped me work better, ranging from software and gadgets 137 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: that I'm loving through to interesting research findings. You can 138 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: sign up for that at Howiwork dot com. That's how 139 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: I Work dot co. Thank you for sharing part of 140 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: your day with me by listening to How I Work. 141 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: If you're keen for more tips on how to work better, 142 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: connect with me via LinkedIn or Instagram. I'm very easy 143 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: to find. Just search for Amantha Imba. How I Work 144 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: was recorded on the traditional land of the Warrangery people, 145 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: part of the Cool and Nation. I am so grateful 146 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: for being able to work and live on this beautiful land, 147 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: and I want to pay my respects to elders, past, 148 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: present and emerging. How I Work is produced by Inventium, 149 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: with production support from dead Set Studios, and thank you 150 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: to Martin Nimba who did the audio mix and makes 151 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: everything sound better than it would have otherwise.