Позитивные изменения. Том 3, № 4 (2023). Positive changes. Volume 3, Issue 4(2023)

David Hutchens, an international expert in strategic storytelling and the author of “Circle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers,” who has been training organizational leaders to work with stories for over 30 years, explains: “The words ‘story’ and ‘storytelling’ make many people freeze up and say, ‘What stories? I don’t have any stories!’ Stories emerge naturally all the time, but trying to coax them out of people is like coaxing a shy child out of their room. Sometimes I don’t use the terms ‘story’ or ‘storytelling’ at all. It is often better to simply start sharing stories without drawing attention to the fact that we are doing so.”

That is why guiding questions play a crucial role in working with stories. Here is one way to encourage people to begin sharing their stories: “Tell me about an incident / episode / moment / period from your life when…”

This is the textbook prompt for uncovering stories. When you say: “Tell me about…” you switch people’s attention to the linear, temporal continuum where stories exist naturally.

Additionally, this phrasing emphasizes that we are seeking a specific event.

To hear the beneficiaries’ stories about the project, you can use the following questions. Let’s clarify that these questions are not meant to elicit scripted responses. Rather, they are designed to help pinpoint an exact, specific event along the timeline of the past in the participants’ memories. The event could be quite small, even a tiny change — all the more valuable if it is remembered rather than overlooked. If a participant cannot recall anything initially, suggest that they listen to other participants, and then, most likely, they will also be able to recall a particular episode. If the majority of participants are unable to recall anything suitable, it might be a good time to conduct a story circle with the program authors to understand their intentions regarding the program’s impact and the desired outcomes they sought to achieve.

• Tell me about a moment when you smiled and thought: “There is now more of this / this is happening more often! How great is that!” What was happening?

• Tell me about a case when you felt surprised and joyful, thinking: “My life has genuinely improved recently, and these changes have happened thanks to the project.” What specifically changed? How did it happen?

• Initially, we aren’t always certain whether the project will achieve anything — that is perfectly normal. However, sometimes during the process, we become convinced about its value. Tell me about a moment when your doubts about the project’s worth were dispelled. What was happening?

To hear the project team’s stories and to assess the project from their viewpoint, you can use the following questions:

• Describe a moment when you were leaving the office at the end of the day and you thought with a smile: “I’d be willing to work for free just to see these changes take place!” What was happening?

• Recall a moment when you genuinely felt warmth in your heart because a person’s life improved, even if a little bit, thanks to your work and this project. What was happening?

• Work doesn’t always bring inspiration — most days bring nothing but routine. Think of a time when you suddenly felt a surge of inspiration amidst the daily routine, because you saw/realized the benefit your work was bringing to others.

What did you see? What was happening?