The Power of Parable

Parable, simile and metaphor are techniques to convey an idea by comparing the new concept to something the listener already understands. A reader of the Gospel knows that Jesus taught nearly all his key principles by parable, using simple stories to reveal eternal truth. St. Patrick held up a shamrock to explain the Trinity, and it is said that all of Buddhism is revealed by the lotus flower.

Sometimes metaphor is a direct mapping– “A hog is the same as a pig.” Sometimes it is qualified– “A whiskeyjack is mostly like a blue jay, but it’s grey and there is no crest.” Sometimes it works by opposites– “Sumo is everything that judo is not.”

Metaphor, aptly used, is so powerful because the listener has already integrated the first concept into his intellectual, emotional and social dimensions. When you tell the listener how the second concept is like (or almost like, or opposite to) his existing experience, he quickly “gets it” as a package of knowledge and feelings. Lawyers know all about metaphor– we call it “precedent”!
Try this for a week: When called upon to explain something, consider how you can leverage the listener’s existing knowledge by the use of metaphor.

We hope these little tips are helpful to you in your enterprise, your career and your personal life. If you like what you see, feel free to pass it along, so long as you acknowledge copyright and provide a link to www.purposeful.ca.

Please e-mail me at norm@purposeful.ca (mailto:norm@purposeful.ca) or visit www.purposeful.ca for more communication tips and ideas.

Funny, that!
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Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich by promising to protect each from the other. Oscar Ameringer
Can I Help?
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Does your company or association need some help with communication skills? Keynote or workshop, I’d love to help.