JOB AID
ANALOGY-BUILDING EXERCISES
Directions: See how many ways you can complete the following sentences. You can complete this activity independently or in groups.
“Life is like a grocery store because….”
“Relationships are like a game of tennis because….”
“Great work teams are like a great orchestra because….”
“Being a good manager is like being a good parent because…”
“Being a great leader is like being a great tour guide because…”
MAKING SURE ANALOGIES ARE USEFUL
When I do the above exercise in workshops, some of the analogies people come up with are fun and whimsical, but not accurate nor particularly useful (for example—“Relationships are like a game of tennis because it's more fun when you win,” or “Relationships are like a game of tennis because they involve love”) while others embody teachable wisdom (for example—“Relationships are like a game of tennis because the more you put into it, the more likely you'll succeed”).
To cultivate discernment in creating analogies, have someone in your group:
- Jot down people's responses for each sentence.
- Go through your list and analyze which analogies make the most sense and offer the most useful insights.
Here are a couple questions you can ask to help in this process:
- “Is the analogy really accurate; are these two things really alike in this way?”
- “Does this similarity represent something trivial or significant about the idea I want to explain, or the point I want to make?”
CHECKLIST: USING STORIES AND ANALOGIES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
NEW HIRE ORIENTATION
Use stories that define your organization's mission, values, and culture.
Share stories about what you do as an organization that makes a difference in the world—both to your end-users and to your community.
Share stories about employees making a difference and doing great things.
Collect stories from your end-users about how your product or service made a difference in their lives, or how your organization went the extra mile to achieve excellence.
Share stories that exemplify your behavioral norms and values in action.
STARTING A PRESENTATION
Think of a story that will start your presentation off with a bang. You might share
a short story about the difference the information you will present made to someone you worked with
a story that dramatizes the cost of not addressing the topic you will cover
a humorous story—not a joke, but a real experience.
MAKING YOUR PRESENTATION MORE INTERESTING
For each major point you want to make, ask “How can I illustrate this?” or “What's an example of this?” If you want your audience to appreciate the importance of a particular idea or point at an emotional level, not just an intellectual level, don't forget to:
Ask “What analogy or story can I use to make this hit home, to dramatize this so they never forget it?”
Intersperse your presentation with short, light stories and examples, as energy boosters.
For your ending, tell a story that summarizes your main theme and the benefits of taking action, so you leave your audience on a high, inspired note.
MAKING ABSTRACT OR NOVEL CONCEPTS MORE UNDERSTANDABLE
When you are teaching concepts that are very abstract or novel to the learner, try to think of analogies both from common everyday life and from your learner's unique professional background.
Draw from common experiences as well as from knowledge, principles, and experiences that are profession- or industry-specific.
Using profession- or industry-specific analogies helps you form an even stronger bond with your listeners as it signals that you understand their unique world. For instance, if you are teaching communication skills to software engineers who are being promoted to managers, you could use examples from their world of programming—such as Garbage In, Garbage Out, or having a bug in the code—as analogies to explain management concepts.
COACHING
When explaining ideas, illustrating points, and attempting to persuade the person you're coaching, use the tips in the two previous sections of this job aid—“Making Your Presentation More Interesting” and “Making Abstract or Novel Concepts More Understandable.” If you are attempting to help a person Look at their situation from a different perspective or challenge them to examine a Limiting belief, but believe a direct approach would just trigger resistance and defensiveness, you can use a story to do this.
Use a perspective change story in which you or another person “just knew” something was true—such as believing another person was doing something to be manipulative—only to discover you were wrong. Pick a story that doesn't too closely match the situation of the person you're coaching, or they will apply the same Limiting perspective to your story. They will also Likely respond with defensiveness, just as they would if you confronted them directly, thus defeating the whole purpose of using a story.
Use an “I didn't think I could do…but I did!” story where you “just knew” you didn't have what it took to handle a challenging situation, but then realized you did. In this case, telling a story that involves a situation similar to that of the person you are coaching is fine.
Use “So I said to him ‘_____’” stories if you want to deliver a challenging message, such as “Stop making excuses for why you can't do it and start focusing on how you can do it,” without triggering defensiveness.