When Emma Serlin, founder of London Speech Workshop and creator of the Serlin Method®, talks about storytelling, she goes straight to the point:
“You can’t tell a presentation from your chin up.”
In other words, great storytelling isn’t intellectual – it’s emotional. It comes from the heart, and it invites your audience to bring their hearts too.
In our recent webinar, Emma shared powerful and practical tools that help professionals speak not just to inform, but to connect, inspire, and lead with authenticity.
Here are Emma’s top 4 storytelling tools – designed to be simple, human, and instantly usable.
1. The Meal Plan
A beautifully intuitive framework to shape any presentation, pitch, or story.
Protein – What are the 3 core messages you want to get across?
Vegetables – Your values – why does this matter to you?
Spice – Your unique perspective – a vivid image, a turn of phrase, a touch of humour
“Protein is what they need to know. Vegetables are what they need to feel. And spice is what makes it memorable.”
Why it works:
This structure balances head and heart. It brings clarity and colour, helping you move from generic communication to emotionally resonant storytelling.
2. Catch the Ball
This tool is designed for those curveball questions – when you’re put on the spot, challenged, or asked something unexpected.
- Catch the question – pause, breathe, and acknowledge it
- Place it on the table – neutralise it, e.g., “Great question” or “Let’s take a look at that”
-
Choose your response:
Investigate it
Offer a new perspective
Bounce it back respectfully
“It’s about shifting the dynamic – from reactive to responsive. From defensive to grounded.”
Why it works:
It gives you ownership of the moment, calms your nervous system, and allows you to respond with clarity and authority.
3. Stepping Stones
This tool is all about story structure – helping you take your audience on a clear, logical and emotionally compelling journey.
Use any of the following frameworks:
Past – Present – Future
Problem – Solution – Benefit
Situation – Action – Result
These are ideal for:
- Explaining strategy or change
- Making a case for a decision
- Motivating teams or clients
“When you know your stepping stones, you can walk your audience across any river.”
Why it works:
Structure creates coherence, and coherence builds trust. Combine it with your values, and you have a message that both makes sense and moves people.
4. Lead with Values
This isn’t a formal tool – but it’s a core principle of the Serlin Method® and one that underpins everything Emma teaches.
Whenever you speak:
- Ask yourself: Why does this matter to me personally?
- Don’t hide behind professionalism – lead with authenticity
- Use real stories, real emotions, and genuine conviction
“When you speak from your values, people don’t just hear you – they feel you.”
Why it works:
People don’t buy ideas – they buy into people. When you speak from your values, your communication becomes magnetic.
Final Thought
Emma’s tools remind us that storytelling isn’t about performance, it’s about presence.
- Speak from your values
- Structure your message clearly
- Take emotional ownership of difficult moments
- And always aim to connect, not just convince
“When you bring your full self to the story, your audience will meet you there.”
Want to Learn the Serlin Method® for Storytelling?
At London Speech Workshop, we help individuals and teams develop confident, authentic and impactful communication – through storytelling, presence, and connection.
If you’d like to explore how our Powerful Storytelling course can transform your communication skills, why not book a Free 15-Minute Discovery Call with our team to find out more.
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