Stories Keep Communities Alive
by Jenna Lange, Founder & President of Lange International
My favorite line from this article is “Stories kept communities alive.” Think of how important that statement is right now given what the world is facing with the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. What stories are you telling that are keeping your community alive?
Traditionally, stories help us learn and share critical knowledge. Where do you find water, where are the elk for hunting, what do I put in my soil to grow vegetables? These stories are told and help humanity act—usually toward a positive outcome. But how can that backfire?
Every day, we hear someone say the following: “Did you hear about;….” And that is particularly true right now when information is unclear, with scary information coming to us via multiple untrusted mediums. We listen to the stories that people tell us—that our communities tell us—and then we act. When we hear that Costco is out of hand sanitizer, what does that compel us to do? Panic, of course! Laugh first, then panic.
I remember on September 11th, as I sat at a table with my colleague Scott two blocks from the world trade center, hearing people tell stories about how the lower part of Manhattan was about to be bombed. I turned to Scott and said “Do we run?” and he said, “No—we wait.” Which was the right thing to do given that 3 minutes later, the first tower collapsed.
As leaders, we have to tell stories. It’s how we inspire and communicate our strategy and vision. But more importantly, the stories we tell compel people to act. We are facing more and more challenges globally, from spreading disease to climate change. What are the stories that we need to tell as leaders that will compel people help—not hurt—our communities?
My tip is to start with the end. For example, you could say upfront, “The point of my story is to make sure you stop and think about where your resources are best used right now before you act.”
Second, build a visually powerful story that is relatable and drives that point. Think about how you were at the beach as a child and could only carry so much water to your sandcastle. Or how you could only carry so much in your backpack on a camping trip. Something that is far away from the moment we are in, but something that we can imagine and picture in our mind’s eye. Then land the point.
As storytellers in the world, we need to start with the behavior, the point, and then say, “Did you hear about…”
As you design your stories, start with how you want to move people to act.