In his book The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, Christopher Booker states that everything ever written boils down to seven basic plots.

Using these story frames, you can share your life experiences to inspire your team and bring your presentations to life.

1. Overcoming the Monster

This is the typical heartwarming story of courage and bravery where the hero overcomes evil against all the odds.

• Use it to: Showcase your problem solving skills.

2. Rags to Riches

The rags-to-riches structure tells a tale where our hero goes triumphantly from difficult circumstances to great success and wealth.

• Use it to: Show how you are able to use your vulnerabilities to achieve results at work.

3. Voyage and Return

In this story our hero journeys to new lands, defeats darkness and returns home all the wiser.

• Use it to: Demonstrate that you are able to step out of your comfort zone in order to learn new things.

4. The Quest

The moral of this story is teamwork. A group sets off on a journey with a goal in mind and through working together they overcome all obstacles.

• Use it to: Present the importance of achieving goals through teamwork.

5. Comedy

Even a comedy story can be used to showcase your skills and inspire others. Particularly the classic comedy tale of a transition from state of confusion into one of enlightenment.

• Use it to: Show that the importance of communication and openness to avoid confusion and unnecessary conflict.

6. Tragedy

This is the classic cautionary tale, in which we see the downfall of a villain who chooses the wrong path.

• Use it to: Show that you can learn from mistakes to improve yourself and succeed next time.

7. Rebirth

Change is always possible, as shows this story of a villain who finds redemption and is reborn as a better person.

• Use it to: Demonstrate that you are able to learn from others to make better choices.

So next time you have to give a presentation at work, why not tell one of these stories? It might just make you stand out from the pack. If you need more information on how to get started, you should read the infograph below: