SPEAK LIKE A CEO 218: Forget Storytelling, Focus on Metaphors Instead
Dec 14, 2023
Leaders who use metaphors deliberately can shape attitudes and behavior by reaching the instinctive brain. The episode explains what metaphors are and why they matter more than stories. It breaks down common pitfalls like clichés and mixed comparisons. Practical categories like journey, weather, food, and flying are shared along with simple actions to choose and use metaphors intentionally.
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Metaphors Reach The Instinctive Brain
- Metaphors are mental shortcuts that plant ideas in the instinctive brain and shape attitudes, values, and behaviors.
- Oliver Aust argues metaphors reach the oldest part of the mind and therefore give leaders persuasion superpowers.
Avoid Mixed And Machine Metaphors
- Avoid mixed metaphors and overused machine metaphors because they confuse or alienate audiences.
- Oliver Aust warns jumping between battle, journey, construction, and gardening imagery garbles meaning and makes people feel like cogs in a machine.
Metaphor Types Trigger Specific Emotions
- Different metaphor families evoke distinct feelings: journey for progress, weather for difficulty, food for belonging and reward.
- Oliver Aust maps common business metaphors to the emotions they trigger, e.g., journey = path, weather = storm or sunshine.