Storytelling – Executive Education | The University of Alabama

strategic storytelling for business communication

IN-PERSON AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA CAMPUS
ON MARCH 27, 2025
or
LIVE VIRTUAL ON MARCH 31, 2025

Discounts available for group enrollments, UA faculty/staff, and UA Alumni. Reach out to stephanie.lowe@ua.edu for more information.

An in-depth look at storytelling and how to create
compelling narratives to enhance your organization

Explore the art of creating powerful stories that connect with your audience. Join our session on the science of storytelling to unlock the secrets of crafting compelling narratives. Learn how to achieve impactful results in your organization by improving your storytelling skills.

topics

Participation & production

Participation includes preparing for the roles, goals and styles of everyone in attendance, beginning with the storyteller’s intention for the interaction.
Production involves visualization of the environment to account for the capabilities and constraints created by the space, time, and medium of the moment.

Connection & clarification

Connection features the initiation of the interaction in a way that establishes or extends the storyteller’s credibility and relatability.
Clarification focuses on asking the right questions, the right way, at the right time and then listening actively to empower empathy and avoid destructive assumptions.

information & illustration

Information is the core of any story and it must be relevant, organized, unpolluted and dynamic for the message to resonate within and beyond the moment.
Illustrations can deepen engagement and inspire energy when they are calibrated to the tone, tempo, and technology of the story’s setting.

Discussions & decisions

Discussion is the portion of the story that can’t be written and instead must be precisely imagined prior to its telling, then thoughtfully navigated through the interaction.
Decisions present a planned or unplanned ending for the storyteller’s production and provide the progressive transition to their next publication.

Program OVERVIEW

Crafting a compelling or competitively superior narrative is a science rather than an art. This implies the need for a process that anyone can learn, and results that can be replicated anytime and anywhere, within any role, and with any goal. This program teaches you how to tell your story for cheers, choice, change, challenge, or charity.

Designed for:

Leaders who want to leverage effective storytelling
Marketing professionals who are looking to enhance their ability to create compelling and relatable narratives
Salespeople who look to leverage storytelling for persuasive pitches
Managers, directors and team leads
Coaches and trainers
Communication specialists, content creators, any anyone in public relations
Or anyone who wants to enhance their overall communication and connection skills through storytelling

Participants will:

Understand the science of storytelling and how it connects with your audience
Acquire skills in shaping your narrative for dynamic and engaging storytelling
Master the application of story structure to craft persuasive stories
Increase your ability to captivate, inspire, and drive action through the art of storytelling

Format:

The on-campus program consists of four interactive sessions, each lasting about an hour, with 5–10-minute breaks in between. These breaks can be used for Q&A with the instructor or as an opportunity to step away and recharge. Each session is designed to promote both formal and informal participation, creating a collaborative and engaging environment for all attendees. Lunch and networking opportunities will be provided as part of the experience.

The live virtual session runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST, offering a focused two-hour learning experience. Bring your lunch and join us on Zoom! A brief 5-minute break will be included halfway through the session to keep participants refreshed and engaged.

Participants will receive a voluntary survey beforehand, allowing them to share information about their roles and goals. This input will enable personalized content, and ongoing customization will be incorporated throughout the session.

This certificate is not eligible for federal financial aid. No academic credit will be awarded.

Upon completion of the program, you will receive a certified digital badge issued from Credly, as well as a certificate of completion.

It’s no secret that we have outstanding, talented and engaging faculty at The University of Alabama. As staff members, it is an incredible benefit that we can seek out professional development right on campus. Learning from Joe Calamusa was an excellent professional development option for me and my team. The fact that we did not have to travel was an added bonus! We will continue to lean on Culverhouse’s Executive Education program for development opportunities for our team.

I am grateful that I got the opportunity to attend the Story Telling Workshop with Joe Calamusa. This workshop was beneficial in several ways in my personal and professional development as a rising leader and program manager (i.e., understanding the science of storytelling, identifying and understanding best practices for storytelling, and identifying the storyteller within myself). Additionally, I was able to connect and network with industry leaders and fellow educators. I'm grateful for the format and structure of these workshops as they are representative of a cohort format. This community of professionals was just what I needed at this point in my personal and professional journey. I'm grateful for new friendships with people like Kaleb Day, who also attended the session.

I truly enjoyed participating in the Culverhouse Executive Education session, The Science of Storytelling: Leveraging Storytelling to Drive Results. Joe Calamusa led an engaging, entertaining and extremely informative discussion proving that telling a compelling story is a science and not an art. Joe educated the participants on the four elements of storytelling and guided each of us through the process of identifying, structuring and delivering superior narratives. Utilizing these communication skills learned in this session, you will feel confident in your ability to drive results both internally and externally of your organizations.

Attending the Business Communications event at The University of Alabama was truly enlightening. Through engaging sessions and insightful presentations by Joe Calamusa, I gained a deeper understanding of the profound impact strategic communication can have in the workplace. Exploring the art and science of storytelling equipped me with invaluable skills to craft compelling narratives that resonate with audiences. This program was a testament to the power of effective communication in achieving impactful results within any organization.

I found the Business Communications and Storytelling session with Joe Calamusa beneficial and highly entertaining. As a 30-year communications professional, I appreciated Joe’s unique way of breathing new life into my thought process for storytelling. The day flew by, and I enjoyed learning about the different storytelling elements and how to structure a compelling story based on your intended audience’s communication style.

'Leveraging Storytelling to Drive Results' taught by Joe Calamusa was one of my favorite professional learning experiences I have taken part in! Throughout the training we gained a stronger understanding of how to gameplan different business scenarios based on individual personality types, highlight the core need required to push our service/product being offered, and most importantly create a chain reaction of actions to drive desirable results. As a technical analyst who engages with many different constituents to fulfill a wide variety of business needs, this was a very refreshing session. I now have a stronger blueprint for both understanding the goals of those I support and leveraging my communicational capabilities to fulfill requests with less downtime than before. On top of that, the networking luncheon helped me connect with other highly motivated career professionals such as Dr. Demitrius Barksdale, who I have the pleasure of now calling a friend. I highly recommend any workshop put on by Executive Education series at Culverhouse. You will leave feeling invigorated!

Joe Calamusa

Joe Calamusa (1996, B.S., and 1998, MBA, graduate of The University of Alabama) is the Managing Director of The University of Alabama Sales Program and a Clinical Professor of Marketing. Joe teaches the Program’s introductory course, Professional Selling, to over 300 students each semester. Joe is a founding partner of Sales & Leadership Development Group (SLDG), a training and consulting firm focusing on the modernization of sales and leadership principles and processes. Prior to The University of Alabama and Sales & Leadership Development Group, Joe spent 2 years as a Brand Manager for Sara Lee Foods and 10 years as a National Sales Manager for Peco Foods.

View Joe on LinkedIn

Stephanie Lowe

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