1. STORY OF SELF

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Originally adapted from the work of Marshall Ganz of Harvard University. Modified by the New Organizing Institute with the help of many dedicated partners.
Presentation designed by Kristen Dore & Aharon

3. LEADERSHIP
HOW DO YOU DEFINE LEADERSHIP? (not the same as qualities of leadership)
DOES LEADERSHIP REQUIRE A TITLE OF POWER? (why or why not?)
Let’s break down the definition provided:
1.) Responsibility – ability to respond (recognize need, take action)
2.) Enabling – giving away power?
3.) Others – we don’t lead by ourselves
4.) Purpose – mission, goal
5.) Uncertainty – those who follow might be taking a risk of some kind

4. WHAT DOES STORYTELLING HAVE TO DO WITH LEADERSHIP?
The stories we tell are often meant to inspire or motivate others to take action with us or to join us, and the stories we tell enable others to understand who we are. Telling a good story is a leadership tool and a leadership art.
A good story helps us make choices in our lives by illustrating how a particular character (you) overcame a challenge.

5. PUBLIC NARRATIVE Why do we tell stories?
Your public narrative is the story of yourself and why you are called to lead.

6. ...and teach us how to make choices
CAN ANYONE NAME A VALUE OR LESSON THAT YOU HEARD IN KARA’S STORY?
If she had said “I value ____” …whould that have left the same impact on you?
Stories provide values at a level that sticks with us. I think for many of of us, drawing the conclusion, value, or lesson OURSELVES sticks better than if someone else tells us.
GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES OF STORIES THAT EXPRESS VALUES OR MAKING GOOD CHOICES (Sacred writings, parables, Dec. of Ind., Fables)

7. UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD
TWO WAYS OF
UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD
There are 2 ways of understand the world……..through the head and through our hearts

8. HOW
I’m a head person.
The head understands the how. It is strategy and analysis oriented. Having the best strategy in the world doesn’t really matter if we cannot or aren’t motivated to implement it and if we can’t get others to join us.

9. WHY
The heart understands the why of the story. If your organization is only lead with the heart and no strategy…it might not lead to the solutions you aim to achieve.

10. What if we only lead with the head
BUT
What if we only lead with the head
Who in here has worked on an issue, a project or with an organization that was all strategy only?
Or only fights hunger with….55% of the hungry are working or disabled.
*Tell us about it.

11. Who in there has worked with a group that was only lead with the heart?
*It is very sad that John has two jobs, an illness, 4 kids and cannot afford to feed his family.
*tell us about that
Or only with the heart?

12. HOW
WHY
The head tells us how to do something: it deals with plans, strategies, outcomes, facts, and statistics.
And the heart tells us why. We really need both don’t we? Especially if we hope to inspire others to act.
HAVE YOU EVER WITNESSED SOMEONE WHO HAD A TALENT FOR ONE BUT NOT THE OTHER? (or in yourself?)
ACTION!

13. HOW DO STORIES MOVE US TO ACTION?

14. Stories help us FEEL the emotions that remind
us of our values
We’ve said that stories motivate. They also reinforce.
So once a value has been expressed, thinking back to the story helps to remind us of why we do what we do.
I find this particularly helpful when I find myself saying things like “Is this what I signed up for?” or “I went to school for this?” or “Why does this person or situation have to be so difficult?”
When this happens, I go back to story…to the value…to why I’m here.

15. And this “why” moves us into …or back into…ACTION
Let’s take a very quick stretch….deep breath…..

16. STAGNATION Inertia Apathy Fear Isolation Self Doubt
LEFT SIDE: Who has experienced or witnessed this in your work or volunteer environment? Where does it lead? Nowhere
Are any words on the left unclear
These are indicators that a person or organization is stagnant – not moving or growing – and we all know how stagnant water smells right?
What does Inertia mean? Apathy? Fear? Isolation? Self-doubt?
Has anyone felt these feelings before? What was the outcome of feeling them? Have you seen a community that has these feelings?
Fear
Isolation
Self Doubt

17. STAGNATION MOTIVATION
URGENCY
Inertia
ANGER
Apathy
MOTIVATION
RIGHT SIDE:
A good story will move people from the left to the right.
Have you ever been a situation where you were feeling something like fear and someone says “Don’t be afraid”…doesn’t work does it? As if some rational (head) statement will instantly cure us!
Stories don’t speak to our rational side but to our emotions. Stories can move a person or group from stagnation to motivation, inspiration and action.
Let me clarify: I’m not saying “Left bad, Right good”. Rather, we want to transform or use the feelings experienced on the left to move into the feelings on the right.
We don’t want to dismiss feelings. We never know when those feelings on the left might return….or when we might meet someone else with those feelings.
HOPE
Fear
Isolation
SOLIDARITY
Self Doubt
YCMD

18. PLOT CHALLENGE OUTCOME MORAL CHOICE
Who has a favorite short story?.....What made the story a good story?
What makes any story a good stories? Well there is typically a character….and then something happens to the character.
The character will typically face some sort of challenge……and they will then have to make a choice about that challenge.
Should I stay or should I go? The decision the character makes leads to the outcome of the story and all of this….challange, choice, outcome characterizes the plot of the story, and the outcome for that character teaches the moral of the story…..
What happens in when there is not challenge in a story? Boring
What happens when the story is only constant challenge? We wonder what the point is if there is no outcome or hope.
Remember this…..Challenge, Choice, Outcome… Say it outloud.
MORAL
CHOICE
PLOT

19. 3 Parts of Public Narrative
Invites others to be
in relationship with you
Invites others to join
your community
Invites others to take
ACTION!
HOW DO WE FORM FRIENDSHIPS?
We meet, we talk, we share things about ourselves. Eventually, we have shared experiences and stories.
The same goes with forming a relationship with a group. (of volunteers, or donors, or lawmakers
1.) We begin with our story. Sometimes it’s appropriate to hear the story of the other as well.
2.) Next, we explore OUR story – we invite that volunteer or donor or lawmaker to enter in to the story and see they they are a part of things.
3.) Finally, what are we going to DO about it? NOW? What is our new story?
This is an illustration of public narrative and the three parts….The Story of Self (why I’m called to do this work). The Story of Us (why we are all called and why each of us matters in this effort) and the Story of NOW ( what we are called to do right NOW).
In a minute, we are going to view/listen to an example of how this SELF – US – NOW story can be told.

20. Video Review: Barack Obama
We are not showing/listening to this because Obama is the president or because he is a democrat. We are using this as an example because he is one of the greatest speakers and has moved many people into action. This is a craft he has learned and we are going to be using the same craft.
As you listen, make note and try to find the story of self….the story of us and the story of now….
Video Review: Barack Obama
2004

21. Debrief Where’s the Story of Self?
What’s the transition to the Story of Us?
Where’s the Story of Us?
What’s the transition to the Story of Now?
What’s the Story of Now?
How do you feel after hearing his speech?
What specific stories or examples painted the challenge and the choice for you?
Would this speech had the same impact if he had said “My name is Barack Obama, I went to Harvard Law School where I learned x and y. Then I ran for the Senate and won. I really support John Kerry and I think that you should too”
SELF: focus on choice points….father’s journey to US, parents decision to mary (bi-racial couple in the 50’s), naming him “Barack”
Notice there is nothing about John Kerry in his speech…the story tells us about Obama’s own values. Then the audience trusts him and wants to support who he is supporting.
What’s the transition to Story of US? : “My story is part of the larger American story”
Where’s the Story of Us? Founding Story, Declaration of Independence
Transition: “We have more work to do”
Where’s the Story of Now? Vote for John Kerry
Challenge, Choice, Outcome…..HOPE

22. STORY OF SELF
We are going to take about 7 min to write our own stories of self right now. Review the story of self worksheet in your packet. Before you decide what story about yourself you are going to tell….Answer these questions….
Remember to focus on 1 or 2 choice points in your life that teach others about what values move them to be here, and like a good movie your story should be constructed so that we can SEE it, HEAR it, FEEL it because of the details.
Why am I here volunteering? What has brought me to do what I do? What values move me to action?

23. TEAM WORK

24. ROLEPLAY