Overview
Through narrative and storytelling, we—as individuals, communities and nations—can learn how to make choices in response to the challenges of the uncertain world we live in. Narrative is how we communicate our values through stories, bringing alive the motivation we need for changing the world. Because it engages the head and the heart, narrative can instruct and inspire, not only teaching us about why we should act but also moving us to take action.
In this course, participants will learn the Public Narrative Framework and will develop stories about why they are called to leadership (“story of self”), how their values are connected to the collective values of their communities (“story of us”), and what challenges to our values demand urgent action (“story of now”). They will also learn basic practices on how to effectively coach and support others in developing and sharing their own stories.
Who is this course for?
- Organizers, campaigners, communicators who are interested in the craft of storytelling.
- Activists who are seeking to hone their storytelling skills to move people to action.
- Leaders who want to sharpen their story to engage more people in their work.
What will you learn?
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Share your personal narrative in compelling, impactful, and inspiring ways
- Adjust your personal story for various audiences
- Begin coaching others on how to develop their personal narrative
Lesson Plan
Narrative for Leadership & Story of Self
- Learn about the power of storytelling as a leadership tool
- Practice developing and sharing a personal narrative
- Practice asking curious questions and coaching others’ narratives
Story of Us
- Learn how to use group narratives to intervene in moments of crisis, and elevate moments of celebration
- Practice developing and sharing community narratives that motivate & inspire people
- Practice asking curious questions and coaching others’ narratives
Story of Now & Linked Narratives
- Learn how to use stories of urgency and opportunity to agitate and motivate action
- Practice developing and sharing stories that cut through the noise and focus activity
- Practice asking curious questions and coaching others’ narratives
Expectations
This is an interactive course with live practice. We ask participants to write in the chat box, share verbally, and participate in breakout group discussion. During breakouts, all participants will be asked to practice. We encourage, but do not require, participants to turn on video at all times, and especially during breakout discussions. If you are unable or unwilling to practice during breakouts, we ask that you let our Lead Trainer know, and you will not be placed in a breakout room. While we will respect that choice, we offer that this course may not be for you as the bulk of the learning happens in the breakout practice.
Participants should set aside about 2–3 hours a week for coursework—including attending live webinar sessions, and reviewing session pre-work.
