Your story is your compass; stories help to communicate; storytelling is something familiar to all; storytelling provides clarity, connection and trust.
If you want to teach something that is mundane but important, the mundane lesson in the form of a story could help. Some advice from Colleen Stuart at AgEx 2020 got me thinking about how I can improve as a communicator through storytelling. AgEx or Agriculture Excellence is an annual in-person event hosted by Farm Management Canada every December. In 2020 it was held virtually. Colleen Stuart was a presenter on the value of storytelling during uncertain times.
In brief she said that many people are interested in learning. Learning can be especially effective through storytelling due to the logic around it. We typically begin stories by setting the stage like ‘once upon a time’. Then the challenge comes, or the conflict begins and keeps you glued to the story. Do you ever think, “what would I do in their place?”
Once you understand the challenge, your own solutions start to formulate. It is a familiar rhythm and one in which we feel comfortable, and feel drawn to. The process of overcoming the challenge is next in the story, and likely with a positive outcome. That is the best. We feel good coming to a resolution at the end of the story and our brain has rewarded us with a shot of cortisol and oxytocin. We are blissfully wiser.
Storytelling is dynamic and gives the opportunity to understand and fire up the imagination. It creates clarity and connection, and we can all relate to mistakes and seemingly insurmountable challenges -- today’s reality comes to mind. I think there is a lesson to be learned from storytelling, especially in a pandemic. It is comforting to find a familiar rhythm in a sea of information, a sure fire way to get your point across, with a Crackerjack ending.
So, if you feel like you have been there, done that and are sick to your eye teeth about it. Do not despair, keep up the good work, stay safe and if you feel so inclined, tell us your small farm story. It is a story worth telling.
For more see: fmc-gac.com