Story telling is the buzz word of communication in the USA at the moment. the Harvard Business review is quoting screenwriting legend Robert McKee as saying forget about Powerpoint and statistics.  To involve people at the deepest level, you need stories.  He says "If you can harness imagination and the principles of a well-told story, then you can get people rising to their feet amid thunderous applause instead of yawning and ignoring you."   Noted US professional speaker and speaking coach Patricia Fripp says people believe stories more readily than numbers/statistics.  She believes the 'hearer' processes stories intellectually, emotionally and visually (slides and movement of the speaker).  Her best tip is to start with a story and then use a statistic or visual to emphasize or elaborate the point.

Source - HBR June 2003 'Storytelling that moves people'

Stop the meeting, I want to get off!  How to manage your team without meetings by Scott Snair, Allen and Unwin 2003

I never write in books – no margin notes, underlining or circling of key words.  It has always seemed disrespectful to me.  But I underlined most of the first chapter of this book.  I felt compelled to.  The chapter is called ‘Stop surrendering to meetings’ and there was so much information that made me think and that I knew I needed to be able to remember and find again, that vandalism seemed right and proper.  This book will be embraced by those who challenge the conventions of organisational life. Those for whom bureaucracy is a haven will be challenged by it.  It opened my eyes to possibilities that I had never considered and gave me the confidence to explore those I had.  Any one who leads people would benefit from reading this book (and then so would the people he or she leads!)