Monday, August 16, 2010

Business Storytelling: A Story on Stories

The following link was posted on a listserv I subscribe to http://tiny.cc/qd9js. The author Carol Ross wrote with a great deal of energy after a retreat she attended and recognized the power of story to connect. She has some good examples of how story can be used in the work place but the part I like is when she writes about the evolving story:

"Your story evolves, as you evolve. Many years ago, a mentor told the story of being raped. Initially, she told the story as a victim and eventually, after many years, she told the story as a conqueror. A well-known coach has the tag line, "It's all made up." Our stories don't end with one telling but change over many tellings, not because a new detail appears (although that can happen) but because our perspective changes of who we are. The same set of circumstances takes on different meaning, based on where we stand today, rather than five or ten or twenty years ago."


That truly is the healing power of story. When we share stories we spread the burden or the canopy of joy. In one the pain is lessened and the other the happiness is multiplied. Read the short blog post if you have a moment.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Business Storytelling: Quiet but not without story

It has been far too long since my last post. That is not because there is nothing to post but I've been busy creating and living story.

Last week I received a nice email from a colleague. She was traveling to a distant airport in the wee hours of the morning listening to talk radio. Jennifer Weiner, author of "In Her Shoes", was being interviewed. I saw the movie several years ago and recently caught a piece of it again. Jennifer told the story of two sisters with all their baggage, problems and love. You may not like your sister but she is your sister and you can't just stop that relationship. If you haven't read the book or seen the movie I think it is worth the time.

That aside, during the interview Jennifer was asked about the "death" of publishing. Her answer was perfect, "There will always be appetite for story". Story has been around since the beginning and will last as long as there are humans. The form the story is told in (digital, paper, movie, song etc.) really doesn't matter as much as the sharing of the story. I would hate to see the elimination of printed books but I do not fear for the continuance of story.