Most people know how to start a story. But few know how to keep people listening once they’re in it.

In this episode, we break down what actually makes the middle of a story work, using a Nate Bargatze clip (played in the episode) as the case study.

Key ideas:

• Why great storytellers rely heavily on dialogue
• How two or three details can paint an entire scene
• Why stories move through action and reaction, not timelines
• The difference between a story and a Wikipedia entry
• How cause-and-effect keeps listeners engaged

A simple framework to use immediately:

• Open strong
• Add dialogue
• Add a few details
• Show action then reaction

Good stories are never great the first time. You need to test it, revise it, and tell it again.

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

• The hardest part of storytelling is knowing where to begin.
• Most people start with way too much setup… or none at all.
• Use one simple formula to fix it:
• “So…” + Specific Time + Person + Action + Place + Goal/Tension
• Why it works: your listener instantly knows what’s happening and why it matters.
• A good opening line buys you attention for the next 90 seconds.
• Keep stories tight: 90–120 seconds is enough to land a point.
• Script your first line, test it, tweak it, and use it everywhere.

Download the one-page summary:
[PDF Link Here]

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

Summary
Over the last 25 years, American politics has swung back and forth like a pendulum—every “permanent majority” has proven temporary. From Bush’s “thumpin’” in 2006 to Trump’s return in 2024, one truth stands out: no single win defines the next one.

This episode is a reminder to focus on what we can control.

Key Points

• 2000: Florida recount and a divided nation.
• 2004: Talk of a “permanent Republican majority.”
• 2006–2008: Democrats surge back under Bush and Obama.
• 2010–2024: Power ping-pongs between parties nearly every cycle.
• Lesson: Politics never stays still, and neither should your campaign strategy.

Takeaway
The best strategy isn’t predicting the future, it’s preparing for it.

• You control how many fundraising calls you make.
• You control how well you prepare and practice.
• You control how deeply you connect.

Quote of the Week

Source:
Stockdale, Courage Under Fire: Testing Epictetus’s Doctrines in a Laboratory of Human Behavior (Hoover Essays Book 6), pp. 7–8.

Listen or download the one-page summary: [PDF Link]

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.