As Dwayne Johnson brings the DC Comics character Black Adam to the big screen, he’s been talking about the movie with his usual mix of personality characteristics that fans love: charisma, humor, humility, and storytelling. One story, in particular, offers a valuable communication lesson for leaders in any field.
Storytellers hold the audience’s attention and create a strong emotional connection with them. Most of the leaders I meet know they should develop their storytelling skills, but they’re not sure how.
I suggest they start by identifying one event in their lives that shaped who they are—an origin story. Dwayne Johnson has one. He even has a title for it: My Seven Bucks Story.
It goes like this.
Johnson had dreamed of becoming a professional football player starting at the age of 16. He earned a scholarship to play for the University of Miami, a football powerhouse. Injuries in his senior year prevented him from trying out for NFL teams who didn’t seem interested anyway. And so Johnson accepted a contract to play for a Canadian football team—on the practice squad. He was cut. Johnson couldn’t afford a cab to the airport, so he asked a friend for a ride. His dad picked him up when he arrived in Miami. On the road home to his parents apartment in Tampa, Johnson looked at his wallet and realized he had only $7 to his name (a $5, a $1, and some change which he “rounded up to seven”).
Johnson had reached his lowest point, but when his back was against the wall, he decided that the world would hear from him.. He would make a dent in the universe. Johnson later named his company Seven Bucks Productions as a reminder to push forward and find inner strength when all seems lost.
The Seven Bucks story is an inspiring origin story for three reasons:
- It’s universal. The story speaks to the universal theme of finding hope when all seems lost. In movies, nearly every good script has an “all is lost” moment when the hero hits rock bottom.
- It has a few details. Details add credibility to a story, but too many details weigh it down. Johnson provides just the right amount: University of Miami, Canadian team (Calgary Stampeders), cab ride to airport, $7 in his wallet.
- It’s consistent. Johnson will leave out a few details in the interest of time, especially for short television interviews. But the timeline is consistent, and he always includes $7 because it’s the critical detail behind the name of his production company.
An origin story doesn’t have to start at the beginning of your life. It does, however, reflect a beginning: the start of a transformation that took you from where you were to where you are today.
Storytelling is an expansive topic and might be hard to understand for some leaders who don’t come from the creative arts. Don’t overthink it. Simply identify the events or experiences that shaped who are you and the values you represent. Add a few details, keep it short, and share it often.
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October 20, 2022 at 10:40PM
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Three Reasons Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Seven Bucks’ Story Is Worth Repeating - Forbes
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