An interview by Michelle James with Michael Margolis enjoyed significant buzz and retweeting on Twitter — and with good reason; it’s filled with gems. One of my favorites is Michael’s response to the question “What is one technique or approach that people could start applying today to bring more creativity into their work or their business organization?”

Michael says:

In my journey to become a better storyteller, I’ve had to learn how to become a better story listener. The responsibility is on me to become a better listener by listening to others stories. As I develop a deeper intimate understanding of their world, I can share in a way that better relates to another’s story (i.e. it’s not always about me!). You can do this too. Channel your inner-anthropologist, and go observe and listen. Here’s one simple idea:

1. Buy a digital video camera (about $100 now!) – and go around asking a bunch of people the same question.

2. If you’re in a big company, ask co-workers a question about mission or passion.

3. If you’re more on your own, go out in public, or better yet where your customers gather, and ask them ONE question about their lives.

4. In either case, the question has to be something that people will have energy around. If there’s energy, you’ll collect great stories.

5. Finally, look at the patterns of what you hear. What is the common storyline or variations on a theme? If you can find where people agree, build your own story around that. You can also learn a lot about the status quo story you might be up against.

(By the way, don’t ears look weird in quantity?)