Storytelling Model: In Medias Res
“In medias res” is a Latin term that means “in the midst of things.” It’s a storytelling technique where you begin your narrative right in the middle of the action, rather than starting with a lengthy introduction or exposition. If you want to create a sense of urgency, excitement, or mystery, consider using “in medias res” to start your story with a bang.
Think of it like jumping into the middle of a movie. You immediately grab the audience’s attention and create a sense of urgency and excitement. Later, you can fill in the backstory and context through flashbacks, dialogue, or other narrative devices.
Examples of where “in medias res” is used:
- Movies: Many action films start with a chase scene or a fight before explaining the context.
- Books: The Odyssey begins with Odysseus already held captive by Calypso, years after the Trojan War.
- Presentations: You could start a presentation with a surprising statistic or a compelling anecdote before diving into the details.
Examples in business context
Since In medias res captures attention by presenting a critical moment or action before backtracking to provide context. This approach can be highly engaging in business scenarios. Here are some examples:
Crisis Management Presentation
- Opening Scene (In Medias Res):
“The system outage on Black Friday at 2:00 AM cost us $500,000 in sales in just one hour.” - Backstory:
“Let me take you back to how this happened: outdated infrastructure, insufficient testing, and lack of redundancy.” - Resolution and Action Plan:
“We’ve now implemented a cloud-based solution with 99.9% uptime to ensure this never happens again.”
Pitching a Product or Solution
- Opening Scene (In Medias Res):
“Imagine this: A frustrated customer just spent 45 minutes trying to process a return, only to abandon the process entirely.” - Backstory:
“This scenario is all too common for retailers with outdated systems. Our research shows that 30% of customers never return after a bad service experience.” - Solution:
“With our streamlined return management platform, customers can complete a return in under five minutes, increasing retention rates by 25%.”
Change Management in a Company Meeting
- Opening Scene (In Medias Res):
“Three months ago, our sales team hit an all-time low, missing their target by 20% for the first time in five years.” - Backstory:
“After reviewing the data, we found misaligned priorities and lack of training as the root causes.” - Resolution and Next Steps:
“Since implementing new training programs and realigning goals, the team has already closed deals worth $1.2 million in the past month.”
Sharing a Customer Success Story
- Opening Scene (In Medias Res):
“It was 48 hours before a major product launch, and their e-commerce site crashed under the load of test traffic.” - Backstory:
“They had an outdated hosting platform that couldn’t handle spikes. That’s when they reached out to us.” - Resolution:
“Within 24 hours, we migrated them to a scalable cloud environment, and the launch went off without a hitch, generating $5 million in sales in the first week.”
Why It Works in Business
- Engages Immediately: Starting in the middle of the action grabs attention from the outset.
- Creates Curiosity: The audience wants to know how the situation came about and what will happen next.
- Adds Urgency: Highlighting a pivotal moment emphasizes the importance of the topic at hand.
Using in medias res can make your business presentations or discussions more dynamic and memorable while ensuring your audience stays engaged.
