WHAT STORIES DO YOU SHARE?

Stories become part of our lives at a very early age and we make connections to them in our own unique ways. We hear stories. We create stories. We learn from stories. We share stories. Some stories stay with us longer than others. Some stories make us happy. Some stories make us angry. Some stories challenge us. Some stories change us in big ways. One particular experience completely changed how I receive and experience the sharing of stories.

I had just moved to a new community—my fourth government move in 10 years. I remember how hard the first couple of moves were, but as I look back on this fourth move, there was something very different about it. I immediately think about the book club I joined at the suggestion of my new neighbor. It was fall and the book club was coming back together after a summer break. There was an open space as one of the members had decided to drop out to finish her graduate work. The book club included men and women, all engaged in their career work across a wide variety of domains. For the first fall meeting, we were to pick our favorite children’s book and tell the story to the other book club members. It was an easy choice for me: Make Way for Ducklings. Luckily, I had unpacked all my books so I could bring my well-worn copy with me to the meeting.

We all came away from the book club meeting with many reminders of the life lessons contained in the stories. But even more valuable to me was that this story-sharing experience helped me see personal transitions from a new perspective. I had found a quicker way to integrate into a new community.

Many times since this book club experience, I have used stories in other ways—to help make a new idea come to life, help others grasp a complex issue, or influence someone’s views on a challenging topic. I have also come to realize that the stories I share as a supervisor are a direct reflection of who I am. It has been helpful for me to learn and put into to practice some good habits around choosing the stories I share, how I share them, and what I hope to achieve as a result of sharing them.