I had previously listened to the Audible version of one of Carmine’s previous books, Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds. That book was super helpful, and it provided a great framework for developing an engaging presentation. One of the main points of that book was to tell a story.

Carmine’s newest book focuses on that one aspect of communication: storytelling, defined as the act of framing an idea as a narrative to inform, illuminate, and inspire. For business leaders around the world, there’s a growing realization of the importance of storytelling – not just in public speaking, but in all opportunities to communicate with people.

This book is packed with compelling stories and examples from successful leaders, such as Steve Jobs and Sheryl Sandberg and Richard Branson, who have studied and practiced the art of storytelling in order to attract top talent, increase workforce engagement, and launch movements.

When I was about 1/4 of the way through the book, I felt inspired but was also feeling overwhelmed. “How will I remember all these ideas?” I worried. Due to the subject matter, the principles flow more organically than the clear framework of Talk Like TED. Then I noticed the At a Glance outline and the Checklist at the back of the book. I read that, and then resumed reading the book (because the stories are what breathe meaning into the outline and checklist), and now I was able to be both inspired and confident that I’d be able to put the ideas into action. The stories plus outline/checklist provide a valuable toolkit for speakers and all leaders.