Dossier

Unleashing Your Power: How Storytelling Finds Your Voice | Tina Bakehouse | TEDxNWC

The speaker argues that storytelling is a fundamental human mechanism for emotional connection and social change, evidenced by scientific support—like Jerome Bruner stating stories are 22 times more memorable than data—and personal anecdotes of transformation. Through vulnerability and relentless practice, one can harness their unique narrative power to impact others and achieve self-efficacy. The final call to action is for the audience to proactively "Proclaim" their status as storytellers.

## Speakers & Context
- Unnamed speaker; started teaching as a high school English and speech teacher.
- Shares personal crisis: following an aggressive student incident, she lost her voice and needed help from a speech pathologist, eventually leading to treatment for vocal cord nodules.
- The speaker is a holistic communication strategist and author of *Discovering Our Magnetic Speaker Within*.

## Theses & Positions
- People are fundamentally "wired for stories" because stories connect us as human beings and allow us to process emotion, explaining what it means for "Being Human."
- Storytelling's core value lies in its ability to promote social change, build resilience, and foster self-efficacy.
- To be a magnetic storyteller, one must embrace three interconnected mindsets: the social mindset (having an audience), the performance mindset (vocal/physical delivery), and the vulnerability mindset (willingness to open up).
- Stories are powerful enough to transport people "to the audience's hearts" and are a means of "owning your truth and sharing it unapologetically."

## Concepts & Definitions
- **Vocal Cord Nodules:** A condition the speaker is treated for, which can lead to permanent pitch changes after surgery.
- **Storytelling Mindsets:**
    - Social mindset: Referring to the audience's role in the story.
    - Performance mindset: Involves vocal and physical delivery to captivate the audience.
    - Vulnerability mindset: Defined by the willingness and commitment to open up.
- **Magnetic Storyteller:** Someone who effectively uses their words, voice, and body to elicit a desired impact from an audience.

## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Storytelling's Emotional Function:** Connects people, allows for emotional processing, and builds understanding of what it means to be human.
- **Impact of Storytelling:** Stories "heal us" by helping people gain perspective after devastating events, such as losing a child or failing.
- **Seth's Advocacy:** A client who, after diagnosis, changed his farming practices and began advocating for soil health to encourage and prompt policy changes.
- **Meg's Empowerment:** A client with adult onset epilepsy who shared her story, leading her to start the nonprofit Camp You Can for others with epilepsy, allowing activities like ziplining and archery.
- **The Golf Storytelling Exercise:** A personal moment where the speaker applied the storyteller mindset, resulting in her son choosing to "be calm in this moment" rather than getting angry.

## Timeline & Sequence
- **Initial Career Period:** Teaching high school English and speech, leading to an incident where a student threw a literature book and said, *"I want to kill you."*
- **Recovery Period:** Required help from a speech pathologist and subsequently a laryngologist who diagnosed vocal cord nodules.
- **Six Weeks of Silence:** The challenging period of no talking, whispering, or laughing, during which the speaker learned by listening to others' one-sided conversations.
- **Personal Growth:** Transitioning from personal trauma to professional coaching, developing the "magnetic model."

## Named Entities
- **Julie Andrews:** Cited as an example of someone who had vocal cord nodules and underwent surgery.
- **Jerome Bruner:** Cognitive psychologist who stated that stories are 22 times more memorable than data.
- **Paul Zak:** Researcher who stated that oxytocin increases in the brain when people hear stories.
- **Seth:** Client described as a farmer.
- **Meg:** Client described as having adult onset epilepsy.
- **Aly:** High school student the speaker coached for a teen storytelling event.
- **Anthony SNY:** Author and consultant who labeled the three storytelling mindsets.
- **John Capichi:** Person quoted who notes that we are all natural storytellers, but often "freeze and fail to do so in spaces where we can create real positive changes."
- **Kobe Yamada:** Author of the children's book *What Do You Do with an Idea*.

## Numbers & Data
- Stories are **22 times more memorable** than data.
- The hormone **oxytocin** increases in the brain when hearing stories.
- The speaker had **six weeks of silence** during her recovery.
- **Three** storytelling mindsets were identified.
- **Nine** holes played during the golf anecdote.
- **Two** choices were presented regarding the vocal cord nodules (surgery vs. six weeks of silence).

## Examples & Cases
- **The Violent Classroom Incident:** A student's anger resulted in him throwing a literature book and yelling, *"I want to kill you,"* causing the speaker to become voiceless.
- **The Six Weeks of Silence:** The speaker learned that people desire to be "seen heard and have a voice" by listening to one-sided conversations.
- **Seth’s Farm Change:** A farmer changed practices and began advocating for soil health to drive policy change.
- **Meg’s Nonprofit:** Used her experience with adult onset epilepsy to found Camp You Can, offering activities like ziplining and archery.
- **Ali's Inspiration:** A story inspired another teen audience member to ask for a picture, showing the power of shared narrative.
- **The Golf Par/Bogey Anecdote:** Illustrates that shifting mindset (from frustration to calm) leads to a physical achievement (birdie).
- **Bali Trip:** A gift bracelet was received from a trip to Bali, prompted by an article prompting the speaker to see her own potential.

## Tools, Tech & Products
- **Story Journal:** Recommended tool for listing themes and lessons learned from experiences.
- **Sign:** Physical prop used during the closing call to action: *"I'm a Storyteller and I own it."*

## References Cited
- *Discovering Our Magnetic Speaker Within* (Book by the speaker).
- *What Do You Do with an Idea* (Children's book by Kobe Yamada).

## Trade-offs & Alternatives
- **Surgery vs. Silence:** The speaker chose the less permanent and less expensive option of six weeks of silence over potential vocal changes via surgery.
- **Data vs. Story:** Stories are presented as superior to raw data for memorability and emotional connection.

## Counterarguments & Caveats
- The speaker acknowledges that calling oneself a "Storyteller" has been difficult due to past experiences of having her voice curtailed (being "shushed and told called a big mouth for just having enthusiasm").

## Methodology
- **The Magnetic Model:** A three-layered framework consisting of:
    1. **Mindset:** A heart-centered intention focused on the audience.
    2. **Message:** The words and style of expression.
    3. **Mechanics:** The physical and vocal delivery (what the audience sees).
- **Story Journaling:** Suggested practice method for documenting life lessons.
- **30-Day Facebook Live Challenge:** A practice method used by the speaker for self-improvement.

## Conclusions & Recommendations
- The ultimate goal is to build the belief that "we are all natural orders of our own lives" storytellers.
- The speaker strongly encourages the audience to adopt the mindset: "I'm a Storyteller and I own it."
- Final advice is to take the signs with them and start sharing stories "out in spaces that can make change."

## Implications & Consequences
- Unshared stories represent untapped potential for positive change (e.g., Anne Frank's journaling, Malala sharing her experience).
- Recognizing one's story grants the power to "own your truth" and share it "unapologetically."

## Verbatim Moments
- *"I want to kill you."* (Student incident)
- *"I think he secretively was appreciating the silence."* (Husband observing her post-incident)
- *"I have vocal cord nodules."* (Laryngologist's diagnosis)
- *"You have two choices: you can have that surgery and your voice could change permanently or it may remain the same or six weeks of Silence."* (Laryngologist's options)
- *"I learned that people wanted to be seen heard and have a voice."* (Insight gained during silence)
- *"Storytelling isn't new; it's been around since the beginning of time through cave drawings thousands of years ago."*
- *"Our brains are wired for stories because they connect us as human beings and allow us to emote emotions and to tell us what it means for Being Human."*
- *"Cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner has stated that stories are 22 times more memorable than data."*
- *"Oxytocin that love hormone actually increases in the brain when we hear stories."*
- *"To be magnetic... your heart-centered intention to be about them."*
- *"Your success comes from your mind and your heart."*
- *"My son... I could either eventually practice being calm or In This Moment be calm."*
- *"I'm a Storyteller and I own it."*
- *"We're all natural orders of our own lives and we tell stories with friends and family yet freeze and fail to do so in spaces where we can create real positive changes."*