I yelped “Yes!” when I read this quote from the Anecdote.com site: I have found that even some of the best organizational storytelling books often fail to make storytelling come alive and really show how to use it. Thus, it’s great news that Shawn Callahan and his crew at Anecdote.com … Continue reading
Author Archives: KatHansen
Halloween and Story
Frankly, I detest Halloween. Other than associating a few mildly bad memories with the holiday, I have no good reason to hate it. And when you come right down to it, Halloween is a storyteller’s paradise — all those scary ghost stories and horror flicks. And think of the stories … Continue reading
Beyond Storytelling Stealth in the Classroom
Thanks to Stephanie West Allen’s posting on the Working Stories list, I learned of what may just be the ultimate example of storytelling stealth in the classroom. In fact, the narrative is so blatant that it’s not really stealthy at all. The students are immersed in the narrative from Day … Continue reading
Defining Ourselves for Better or Worse
Continuing some thoughts about this entry about John Kotter’s article on Forbes.com, I realize that definition through story is certainly not limited to companies. My interest is in how we define ourselves through story. Doing so, I’m convinced, can help us propel our careers forward. I am always looking for … Continue reading
Our Storied Minds
I am struck by how we as humans will tend to make up stories about anything we see that’s the slightest bit unusual (at least I do). While riding my bike one afternoon, for example, I saw a woman walking by the side of the road. Several hundred feet behind … Continue reading
“The Trouble with Stories Is You Have to Live Them”
My 19-year-old son was stranded in downtown Orlando, FL, and ended up getting mugged (including his cell phone), sleeping in a parking garage, and walking a portion of the 40-mile trip home. His story actually began on Oct. 12, but it was appropriately probably Friday the 13th when things turned … Continue reading
Storytelling and Interactivity
Steve Denning shared this comment with the Working Stories group: I would argue that the essence of (organizational) storytelling is interactivity. The only point of the story is to generate new stories in the minds of the listeners. If the storytelling remains a solo activity, with the storytelling simply telling … Continue reading
Links from the World’s Premier Organizational Storytelling Event
A number of entries ago, I said I would, in the spirit of sharing in the storytelling community, share links from April’s Smithsonian Storytelling Weekend. Here they finally are: A welcome to participants from around the world Steve Denning explains “the OS moment” Steve Denning’s slides” Madelyn Blair discusses “the … Continue reading
Storytelling’s Impact in the Corporate World?
John Kotter, author of Heart of Change, says he is “always looking for stories that will shed light on how companies define themselves — for better or for worse,” though in a recent article on Forbes.com, he laments that “too few business leaders grasp the idea that stories can have … Continue reading
My Dissertation (Draft)
I have uploaded a draft of my dissertation. It’s the one that also went to my faculty adviser last week. I’ve had very little feedback on it, so I can’t vouch for the quality, and it may end up changing a lot depending on what my committee says. The download … Continue reading