Social Change Through Storytelling

Social Change Through Storytelling by Melinda Barbosa
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We know storytelling can have long-term beneficial impacts in our work by creating a sense of belonging and connectedness, allowing us to reflect on our personal identities, and to build communities that create social change. 
 
When you have deadlines looming, progress reports to write, and a new curriculum unit to put together, it can feel like there’s not enough time to just talk. Storytelling is more than talking. It’s a practice in deep listening and noticing within ourselves to uncover what is actually important, and asking us to tend to the emerging needs of the group. 
 
Here are some tips on how to bring storytelling to your team: 

1. Start with the right question: We call it the “Courage Card” question. You’re afraid it might be a little bit too personal, but it’s the brave question to ask to learn more about someone. Sometimes the best question isn’t actually a question, but an invitation. This allows people to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable doing. Example: Don’t ask: “What’s your favorite childhood memory?” Instead say: “Tell me about a time as a child when you felt joyful.”
2. Slow down to go fast: However long you think it will take for people to answer a question, double it. I made the mistake recently of giving an entire group 20 minutes to tell their story about their professional journeys. An hour later, when they were finished, we were able to breeze through the action items and get it down to work. We work more efficiently when we feel a sense of belonging to the group.
3. Incorporate breathing, movement, and other mindfulness exercises: Stories connect us to content, making facts and theories come alive in our minds and opening us up to new possibilities. They can also trigger physical and emotional responses. This podcast on trauma and movement is a good reminder about how movement can heal.
4. Journal, Journal, Journal: The most important story we can tell is the one we tell to ourselves. Making time and space for your team to process their feelings, thoughts and dreams allows them to create new pathways in their brain for learning. 

If you make one resolution for this New Year, make it about stories. Tell more stories. Listen to more to stories that are different from your own. Allow your courage to roar as you open up and share more about your purpose, your goals, and maybe a little bit about your fears. Or what if you listened with curiosity turned all the way up? What could you hear? What could you learn? What change would be possible for you and those around you?
 
Bo Lembo and I will be teaming together this spring to bring you an AFCOST storytelling workshop (from our Symposium sessions on journaling and storytelling for social change) where you can learn more about how to use storytelling with all members of your community to connect and create a shared sense of purpose.  Also, if you want to see how you can use storytelling with young people, you can check out this 2018 Blog I wrote.