What is so special about story telling?

[Birgitta Schomaker]

Yesterday we did an exercise on story telling in a meeting with an informal network of former refugees that are building a future in the Netherlands. In fact, it is a loose network in the process of becoming a community, so we thought it would be a good idea to find a way where the members of this group get a chance to get to know each other better in a safe way, and also to get to know each other's strengths. 

Recognising your own strengths, helps you climb mountains and overcome challenges. Seeing each other's strengths, can help build a strong community of mutual trust and support.

We started identifying everyone's strengths through stories they told in groups of three where one person told the story and two people listened. The story was about a good experience with collaboration in a team, and the people who listened, they listened for the strengths, talents and skills in the story of the story teller. 

We are thrilled to see so many powerful and beautiful qualities present in this support network! These strengths will help to make their dreams come true.

One particular powerful way to work with story telling, is that you ask for a STORY (to dig up strengths) that is an exception in what you believe about yourself. E.g. when you think collaborating is hard (or you had bad experiences with collaboration) ask the other person to share a story where collaboration was fun and successful.

Or when people are hesitant to take initiative, ask them to tell you a story where they DID take initiative and were successful. This can be thought provoking and it might shatter negative beliefs about oneself. 

As collaboration is new for this group, we chose to let them tell a story about a collaborative effort that they really liked and they were proud of their role or contribution.

As you can see on the photo, people wrote the outcome of the dialogue in Arabic, English and Dutch.

One more thing: the members of this network told us they want to regain self-confidence now that they are building a new life in a radically different environment. Maybe we'll repeat Story Telling on Strengths every time we meet! I am sure the conversation will deepen every time. 

[Birgitta Schomaker]

It seems more people are discovering the universal power and application of story telling:

http://amandafenton.com/core-methods/what-is-the-collective-story-h...

[Jan Somers]

Story telling is indeed a great way to connect and surface talents and strengths. Re-authoring our stories in a self empowering narrative is what I am now learning in the training "Re-authoring the world" by Chené Swart. Her work and book are very inspiring and complementary to the SALT/ CLCP .

  

[Birgitta Schomaker]

"Re-authoring the world" by Chené Swart..... I will keep that in mind! Thank you, Jan.

[Jan Somers]

Story telling is indeed a great way to connect and surface talents and strengths. Re-authoring our stories in a self empowering narrative is what I am now learning in the training "Re-authoring the world" by Chené Swart. Her work and book are very inspiring and complementary to the SALT/ CLCP .

  

[Rituu B. Nanda]

As collaboration is new for this group, we chose to let them tell a story about a collaborative effort that they really liked and they were proud of their role or contribution.- Loved this exercise and question!