[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] I’m willing to bet that of all the TED
I’m willing to bet that of all the TED
I’m willing to bet that of all the TED talks – you see today you’ll remember
talks – you see today you’ll remember
talks – you see today you’ll remember mine the most not because I’m a better
mine the most not because I’m a better
mine the most not because I’m a better speaker others will be more polished
speaker others will be more polished
speaker others will be more polished than me not because I have a more
than me not because I have a more
than me not because I have a more interesting topic some of you are
interesting topic some of you are
interesting topic some of you are probably curing cancer or because I’m
probably curing cancer or because I’m
probably curing cancer or because I’m adorable although that last one is true
adorable although that last one is true
adorable although that last one is true know you’ll remember my talk because by
know you’ll remember my talk because by
know you’ll remember my talk because by the end of it you’ll become an active
the end of it you’ll become an active
the end of it you’ll become an active participant in a story with me by moving
participant in a story with me by moving
participant in a story with me by moving from a passive observer to an active
from a passive observer to an active
from a passive observer to an active participant
participant
participant you’ll take ownership of that story and
you’ll take ownership of that story and
you’ll take ownership of that story and it elevates both of our experiences but
it elevates both of our experiences but
it elevates both of our experiences but before we get to that and before anyone
before we get to that and before anyone
before we get to that and before anyone in the front row tries to bolt because
in the front row tries to bolt because
in the front row tries to bolt because they don’t want me to call on them don’t
they don’t want me to call on them don’t
they don’t want me to call on them don’t worry I’m not going to I have a story of
worry I’m not going to I have a story of
worry I’m not going to I have a story of my own to tell about two years ago I
my own to tell about two years ago I
my own to tell about two years ago I went to a public speaking conference
went to a public speaking conference
went to a public speaking conference this was my first professional
this was my first professional
this was my first professional development conference I’d ever been to
development conference I’d ever been to
development conference I’d ever been to I’d actually won a scholarship to go
I’d actually won a scholarship to go
I’d actually won a scholarship to go because one I was actually broke and two
because one I was actually broke and two
because one I was actually broke and two I’d been in theater my entire life and
I’d been in theater my entire life and
I’d been in theater my entire life and that seems like a pretty natural fit for
that seems like a pretty natural fit for
that seems like a pretty natural fit for a public speaker so I show up to this
a public speaker so I show up to this
a public speaker so I show up to this conference all bright-eyed and bushy
conference all bright-eyed and bushy
conference all bright-eyed and bushy faced ready to be the best Stern public
faced ready to be the best Stern public
faced ready to be the best Stern public speaker I can be and we get started with
speaker I can be and we get started with
speaker I can be and we get started with a bunch of theater games I’ve been
a bunch of theater games I’ve been
a bunch of theater games I’ve been playing my entire life the first game
playing my entire life the first game
playing my entire life the first game that we play is called one word
that we play is called one word
that we play is called one word storyteller now if you’re not familiar
storyteller now if you’re not familiar
storyteller now if you’re not familiar with that game the way that it works is
with that game the way that it works is
with that game the way that it works is you tell a story one word at a time one
you tell a story one word at a time one
you tell a story one word at a time one person at a time in a big circle
person at a time in a big circle
person at a time in a big circle basically like once upon a time there
basically like once upon a time there
basically like once upon a time there you get the idea now someone who’s been
you get the idea now someone who’s been
you get the idea now someone who’s been in theater most of my life and teaching
in theater most of my life and teaching
in theater most of my life and teaching for most of that time for mostly
for most of that time for mostly
for most of that time for mostly children one word storytellers the game
children one word storytellers the game
children one word storytellers the game that I bust out when I think to myself
that I bust out when I think to myself
that I bust out when I think to myself these kids are not gonna be great at
these kids are not gonna be great at
these kids are not gonna be great at this it’s a pretty basic level game
this it’s a pretty basic level game
this it’s a pretty basic level game because all you have to do is come up
because all you have to do is come up
because all you have to do is come up with one word so we start playing this
with one word so we start playing this
with one word so we start playing this game with a room full of 250 business
game with a room full of 250 business
game with a room full of 250 business professionals and it is just awful it is
professionals and it is just awful it is
professionals and it is just awful it is offensive to my artistic sensibilities
offensive to my artistic sensibilities
offensive to my artistic sensibilities we’ve got ourselves a one-word story
we’ve got ourselves a one-word story
we’ve got ourselves a one-word story telling shout fest on our hands
telling shout fest on our hands
telling shout fest on our hands once upon a time Fork noodles P he’s a
once upon a time Fork noodles P he’s a
once upon a time Fork noodles P he’s a funny word ha so the facilitator
funny word ha so the facilitator
funny word ha so the facilitator Corral’s us all back and he’s like okay
Corral’s us all back and he’s like okay
Corral’s us all back and he’s like okay guys it has to make sense it can’t just
guys it has to make sense it can’t just
guys it has to make sense it can’t just be any word you have to actually tell a
be any word you have to actually tell a
be any word you have to actually tell a story so you don’t have to know where
story so you don’t have to know where
story so you don’t have to know where it’s going but you do have to know where
it’s going but you do have to know where
it’s going but you do have to know where it’s been so listen to what they’re
it’s been so listen to what they’re
it’s been so listen to what they’re saying and then figure it out alright so
saying and then figure it out alright so
saying and then figure it out alright so let’s let’s give it another shot Susan
let’s let’s give it another shot Susan
let’s let’s give it another shot Susan I’m sorry I don’t quite understand what
I’m sorry I don’t quite understand what
I’m sorry I don’t quite understand what we’re blender kitty-cats ah this goes on
we’re blender kitty-cats ah this goes on
we’re blender kitty-cats ah this goes on for the entire game and I am just
for the entire game and I am just
for the entire game and I am just mortified and super judgy that my last
mortified and super judgy that my last
mortified and super judgy that my last kindergarten improv class is more
kindergarten improv class is more
kindergarten improv class is more advanced than this group of adults so we
advanced than this group of adults so we
advanced than this group of adults so we break up that circle of non sequitur and
break up that circle of non sequitur and
break up that circle of non sequitur and go to sit down and the facilitator turns
go to sit down and the facilitator turns
go to sit down and the facilitator turns to us and he says without a trace of
to us and he says without a trace of
to us and he says without a trace of judgment in his face which Lord love him
judgment in his face which Lord love him
judgment in his face which Lord love him for he turns to the group and says how
for he turns to the group and says how
for he turns to the group and says how did that make you feel and from the back
did that make you feel and from the back
did that make you feel and from the back of the room a hand shoots up earnestly
of the room a hand shoots up earnestly
of the room a hand shoots up earnestly and a woman shouts out I just feel alive
and a woman shouts out I just feel alive
and a woman shouts out I just feel alive for the first time in seven years Dan
what
what were we in the same room did we play the
were we in the same room did we play the
were we in the same room did we play the same game I don’t know
same game I don’t know
same game I don’t know thus begins my corporate facilitation
thus begins my corporate facilitation
thus begins my corporate facilitation career now from a less judgmental place
career now from a less judgmental place
career now from a less judgmental place the thing that I ended up taking from
the thing that I ended up taking from
the thing that I ended up taking from this interaction is that by engaging in
this interaction is that by engaging in
this interaction is that by engaging in the storytelling process even for just
the storytelling process even for just
the storytelling process even for just one word this woman’s whole life was
one word this woman’s whole life was
one word this woman’s whole life was changed but why should you care about a
changed but why should you care about a
changed but why should you care about a woman playing an improv game poorly at a
woman playing an improv game poorly at a
woman playing an improv game poorly at a conference
conference
conference well creativity scales and you can
well creativity scales and you can
well creativity scales and you can increase your retention deepen your
increase your retention deepen your
increase your retention deepen your connections and broaden your impact by
connections and broaden your impact by
connections and broaden your impact by taking a cue from her and creating
taking a cue from her and creating
taking a cue from her and creating something anything new so let’s break
something anything new so let’s break
something anything new so let’s break that story down into the three main
that story down into the three main
that story down into the three main bullet points critic creator and
bullet points critic creator and
bullet points critic creator and connection and look they all start with
connection and look they all start with
connection and look they all start with the same letter it’s so easy to remember
the same letter it’s so easy to remember
the same letter it’s so easy to remember like I did it on purpose for you I was a
like I did it on purpose for you I was a
like I did it on purpose for you I was a ruthless critic for this activity and
ruthless critic for this activity and
ruthless critic for this activity and critics by and large do not get a very
critics by and large do not get a very
critics by and large do not get a very good rap there’s a really popular quote
good rap there’s a really popular quote
good rap there’s a really popular quote going around right now of Teddy
going around right now of Teddy
going around right now of Teddy Roosevelt’s that says it’s not the
Roosevelt’s that says it’s not the
Roosevelt’s that says it’s not the critic who counts but the man in the
critic who counts but the man in the
critic who counts but the man in the arena dot it’s been popularized by Brene
arena dot it’s been popularized by Brene
arena dot it’s been popularized by Brene brown shame researcher and Ted speaker
brown shame researcher and Ted speaker
brown shame researcher and Ted speaker and Brunei if you ever hear this so I’m
and Brunei if you ever hear this so I’m
and Brunei if you ever hear this so I’m too busy critiquing this activity to
too busy critiquing this activity to
too busy critiquing this activity to really pull anything out of it other
really pull anything out of it other
really pull anything out of it other than my own experience which was too bad
than my own experience which was too bad
than my own experience which was too bad because I actually missed out on quite a
because I actually missed out on quite a
because I actually missed out on quite a lot now the woman who was ready to
lot now the woman who was ready to
lot now the woman who was ready to create
create
create she was so fired up to be a creator for
she was so fired up to be a creator for
she was so fired up to be a creator for something even something relatively
something even something relatively
something even something relatively small and objectively not of the highest
small and objectively not of the highest
small and objectively not of the highest quality that she felt alive for the
quality that she felt alive for the
quality that she felt alive for the first time in seven years she moved from
first time in seven years she moved from
first time in seven years she moved from a passive observer to an active
a passive observer to an active
a passive observer to an active participant and it’s in that transition
participant and it’s in that transition
participant and it’s in that transition that she became a creator a storyteller
that she became a creator a storyteller
that she became a creator a storyteller and an artist she felt alive because she
and an artist she felt alive because she
and an artist she felt alive because she made something new and brought it into
made something new and brought it into
made something new and brought it into the world
the world
the world storytelling connects us you can watch
storytelling connects us you can watch
storytelling connects us you can watch other TED Talks that talk about the
other TED Talks that talk about the
other TED Talks that talk about the neurological support that we are
neurological support that we are
neurological support that we are designed for storytelling so if we are
designed for storytelling so if we are
designed for storytelling so if we are in fact designed for storytelling it
in fact designed for storytelling it
in fact designed for storytelling it stands true that we probably like people
stands true that we probably like people
stands true that we probably like people who tell stories
who tell stories
who tell stories I spoke with a colleague of mine who had
I spoke with a colleague of mine who had
I spoke with a colleague of mine who had been a part of the one word story
been a part of the one word story
been a part of the one word story slaughter and she told me that it was
slaughter and she told me that it was
slaughter and she told me that it was her experience that yes this is not
her experience that yes this is not
her experience that yes this is not going very well and the energy in the
going very well and the energy in the
going very well and the energy in the room is amazing
room is amazing
room is amazing these people are stretching so far
these people are stretching so far
these people are stretching so far outside of their comfort zone and it’s
outside of their comfort zone and it’s
outside of their comfort zone and it’s just lighting them up but they can feel
just lighting them up but they can feel
just lighting them up but they can feel alive for the first time in seven years
so as I said at the beginning I’m gonna
so as I said at the beginning I’m gonna give you guys a chance to create
give you guys a chance to create
give you guys a chance to create something with me now we’re not gonna
something with me now we’re not gonna
something with me now we’re not gonna play one word storyteller that would
play one word storyteller that would
play one word storyteller that would take too long but we’re gonna play
take too long but we’re gonna play
take too long but we’re gonna play quarter of the room storyteller so I’m
quarter of the room storyteller so I’m
quarter of the room storyteller so I’m gonna divide you guys up into quadrants
gonna divide you guys up into quadrants
gonna divide you guys up into quadrants just like the city you’re in right now
just like the city you’re in right now
just like the city you’re in right now DC statehood
DC statehood
DC statehood pew pew pew just my little plug little
pew pew pew just my little plug little
pew pew pew just my little plug little plug thanks yeah
plug thanks yeah
plug thanks yeah get it going we should do it yeah and
get it going we should do it yeah and
get it going we should do it yeah and you guys are gonna give me the first
you guys are gonna give me the first
you guys are gonna give me the first four words of any good story which is
four words of any good story which is
four words of any good story which is once upon a time if you can’t figure it
once upon a time if you can’t figure it
once upon a time if you can’t figure it out alright so if you’ll indulge me when
out alright so if you’ll indulge me when
out alright so if you’ll indulge me when I point to you to shout it out and get
I point to you to shout it out and get
I point to you to shout it out and get us started because we’ve got something a
us started because we’ve got something a
us started because we’ve got something a little extra for you so there was a
little extra for you so there was a
little extra for you so there was a story created birthed told by us by you
story created birthed told by us by you
story created birthed told by us by you to teach to heal to connect to wake us
to teach to heal to connect to wake us
to teach to heal to connect to wake us up to make us laugh to make us cry to
up to make us laugh to make us cry to
up to make us laugh to make us cry to turn us on to scare us to turn a song
turn us on to scare us to turn a song
turn us on to scare us to turn a song and scare us to confront or distract to
and scare us to confront or distract to
and scare us to confront or distract to entertain or engage a story was told a
entertain or engage a story was told a
entertain or engage a story was told a story a story a story and tonight if
story a story a story and tonight if
story a story a story and tonight if you’ll join us at the after party you’ll
you’ll join us at the after party you’ll
you’ll join us at the after party you’ll have an opportunity to tell your own
have an opportunity to tell your own
have an opportunity to tell your own come become part of the story with us in
come become part of the story with us in
come become part of the story with us in tonight’s one night only TEDx
tonight’s one night only TEDx
tonight’s one night only TEDx mid-atlantic theatrical immersive come
mid-atlantic theatrical immersive come
mid-atlantic theatrical immersive come eat drink and explore with us and ask
eat drink and explore with us and ask
eat drink and explore with us and ask yourself what story will you tell break
yourself what story will you tell break
yourself what story will you tell break a leg
a leg
a leg you
you
you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment