See a photo of Michael, his bio, Part 1 of this Q&A, and Part 2.

Q&A with Michael Galbraith, Questions 3 and 4

Q: How important is it to you and your work to function within the framework of a particular definition of “story?” (i.e., What is a story?) What definition do you espouse?

A: In dealing with areas of conflict, the definition of a “story” is difficult because there is rarely an accepted form of events. Even a simple story, which normally would be readily accepted by everyone, can produce passionate and fierce debate amongst opposing sides in the Middle East. At New Story Leadership for the Middle East, we seek to write a new story of possibility by bringing young Israeli and Palestinian students together. Through living, learning, and working together, these future leaders strive to become a team of compelling witnesses to their newly discovered hope about building a better future. We do not approach the Middle East with bias or partisanship. Our story is the challenging of blind prejudice, the development of friendship and the hope that goes back to the Middle East in these young people.

Q: The storytelling movement seems to be growing explosively. Why now? What is it about this moment in human history and culture that makes storytelling so resonant with so many people right now?

A: I don’t think that there is one reason in particular to explain it because history, culture and storytelling mean different things to different people. However, I do think that the onset of the digital age has helped create an environment for people to explore the world in which they live in. Much can be said for the Internet, both good and bad, but there is no doubt that it has greatly shrunk the world and facilitated the discovery of truth and understanding through storytelling.

I also think that narrative history is winning some new support as a result of a backlash against celebrity culture. People are not willing to accept this new form of role model or entertainment and so are looking to storytelling, narrative history, and other branches like genealogy as a means of breaking free from the monotony of today’s “being famous for being famous” culture. By contrast, storytelling is the ultimate in reality programming, because it is real!

See a photo of Michael, his bio, and Part 1 of this Q&A.

Q&A with Michael Galbraith, Question 2

Q: Can you talk a bit about NSL’s 2012 campaign and why people should be interested? Beyond the young people who actually participate in the program, how can others help the cause?

A: New Story Leadership seeks to inspire a new story of possibility for the Middle East by bringing outstanding Israeli and Palestinian students to Washington DC to experience American culture and democracy. Coming to Washington forces participants out of their comfort zone. Everything is new. A team of total strangers comes to America to work in new jobs in a new city, in a new country, sharing a new family with a new roommate, experiencing one unforgettable summer. They have to work together to get through it. The NSL program is however not political or partisan. It does not take any side in the Middle East conflict, other than being unambiguously on the side of the young people from the region. The program does not engage in lobbying activities of any kind, and it is not within its purposes to pursue any political agenda. Its distinct focus is on education in leadership and demonstrating the power of stories for personal and cultural transformation.

We are however a relatively new organisation, we do not have the 15-year history of our sister program, Washington Ireland. These first few years have thus been spent perfecting the program and bringing our first students from the Middle East. It has not always been easy and certainly, like most other new groups, we are almost always talking about money and advertising. As a result we rely heavily upon social media not only to advertise our program but also to interview our prospective candidates and to seek financial donations. For those wishing to help, we ask them to go to our Facebook site and to register their interest on our wall. Even a simply “Like” of the page helps spread our message that little bit further.

Those interested in donating can make their pledge at our Web site.

At NSL, we value everyone’s input and assistance. Whether its social media expertise, photography, video editing, research, fundraising, or promotional work, we are interested in hearing from anyone who would be interested in giving up their time to help write a new story for the Middle East.

For some time now, I have wanted to feature the organization New Story Leadership for the Middle East on this blog. I was partnered with its founder, Paul Costello, in an activity at a conference a few years back. Perhaps someday Paul will be part of this Q&A series. In the meantime, a Q&A with staff member Michael Galbraith seems like an excellent way to introduce readers to the important work of New Story Leadership for the Middle East. This Q&A will run over the next several days.

Bio: Michael Galbraith is the social-media and outreach manger for New Story Leadership for the Middle East. Here’s his bio in his own words: “In this role, I am responsible for the management and coordination of our social-media network and increasing the brand awareness of our program in Washington, DC. Prior to my work here in the United States, I was a political consultant and campaign manager for Mr. Michael Copeland, a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. It was in this role, that I first discovered social media and its potential in advertising. My background in New Story Leadership comes from my love of history, I am a master’s graduate from Queen’s University Belfast, specialising in American and Irish History. Through my love of history, I was connected to Mr. Paul Costello, and seemingly was one of the few people in the world never to have met him! Paul has helped me immensely with my quest on getting to America and continues to this day in my daily toil to get a coveted visa to work here full-time. As of writing, I am managing the social-media advertisement of our 2012 Program, which is due to begin in the summer, and I am continuing to manage the day-to-day running of NSL’s social-media network.”

Q&A with Michael Galbraith, Question 1:

Q: How did you initially become involved with story/storytelling /narrative? What attracted you to this field? What do you love about it?

A: I first became interested in storytelling primarily because of Mr. Paul Costello. Paul has been at the forefront of narrative history for over 20 years through his work with not only New Story Leadership for the Middle East, but also Washington, Ireland, South Africa Washington Program, and The Centre for Narrative Studies. His passion for telling a new story, one of peace, mutual respect, and understanding has resonated with a great number of people over the years. As someone from Northern Ireland, I instantly understood the objectives of what Paul was doing because in areas of conflict, old stories have had the result of igniting blind hatred amongst young people for generations. The approach of New Story Leadership for the Middle East is to dispel these myths by bringing diverse groups together so that they can learn the truth of one another, which in turn can foster a new beginning and new hope for the region.

See a photo of Megan, her bio, Part 1 of this Q&A, and Part 2.

Q&A with Megan Sheldon, Questions 4 and 5:

Q: The storytelling movement seems to be growing explosively. What is it about this moment in human history and culture that makes storytelling so resonant with so many people right now?

A: When I was studying in Edinburgh I was introduced to the concept of Mythos (myth) and Logos (logic). These two notions were once the pillars of society and life functioned by giving equal weight to both frames of thought. Slowly, this subjective idea of myth depreciated and instead value was placed on science and technology — i.e., things that could be proven — which created an imbalance in the way people interpreted their experiences. I believe we are beginning to recognize this imbalance and are turning to storytelling to connect with people, ideas, and brands on a more personal level. Technology is advancing at an alarming rate, and we are being inundated with more brands than ever before. If we can’t distinguish a brand’s story, and see how it directly affects us, it loses power. Technology can be an excellent tool for sharing our stories, as long as you focus on the message and not simply the medium.

Q: What’s your favorite story about a transformation that came about through a storytelling act?

A: My process involves interviewing not only the decision-makers of a business, but also their staff, clients, friends, and supporters. Almost every one of my clients is amazed when they hear the different experiences people have in relation to their own business. Too often we believe the business is “ours,” and we forget that it is being experienced by so many different people, each of whom should ideally bring or take away something of value. I worked with the Sarah McLachlan Foundation for two years, helping them launch the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, a free music school for at-risk youth in Vancouver, B.C. The breakthrough came when we recognized that while Sarah’s story was integral to the brand, it was the stories of the students, the instructors, the staff, and the community that were feeding the vision. I was then able to weave together the unique perspectives and experiences into a brand story that embraced diversity and acknowledged everyone’s contribution.

See a photo of Megan, her bio, and Part 1 of this Q&A.

Q&A with Megan Sheldon, Questions 2 and 3:

Q: When did you see the connection between marketing and mythology?

A: Growing up, I was always suspicious of marketing; the last thing I wanted to do was build brands that were inaccurate or deceitful. What I recognized in storytelling was the ability to embed many different experiences into a single story, allowing people from all walks of life to connect with a brand message. For me, branding is about listening and interpreting people’s experiences and finding the common threads that connect them back to a business. I always ask my clients “What do you want people to feel when they hear about your business?” Our day-to-day experiences with a business impact our decisions and ultimately determine the success of a company.

Q: Describe one of your favorite projects or initiatives.

A: When I worked in Ghana as a community engagement coordinator, I saw the power of story first hand with the young girls I worked with. While I was living there I was introduced to the work of Shannen O’Brian, a fellow Vancouverite who was working tirelessly in Northern Ghana to build a charity (Create Change) that sends young girls to high school and university and provides rural communities with access to clean water. I was immediately inspired and told Shannen about my vision for Narrative Communications. Shannen approached me last year and I worked with her to build the brand story for Create Change, which is being launched later this year, as well as the brand story for her new social enterprise Karma Exchange, a way for businesses to align themselves with charity while marketing their products to new audiences. Shannen brought four of the girls from Ghana to Vancouver this past November for a six-week documentary speaking tour (For Our Daughters), and I volunteered to be their story coach, helping them weave together their experiences into a powerful presentation. Working with Shannen on all three of these projects has proven to me that storytelling can be a powerful way to connect people to a cause and ultimately change people’s mindset.

It’s a great pleasure to feature another up-and-coming story practitioner, Megan Sheldon, in this Q&A series. Canada seems to boast a strong contingent of story folks, and since my state of Washington borders British Columbia, it’s a treat to spotlight a BC neighbor. This Q&A will run over the next several days.

Bio: With ten years of experience in public relations, marketing, and advertising, Megan has worked both client and agency side with clients such as UNICEF, Sarah McLachlan Foundation, and the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC). Narrative Communications is a story writing and branding agency that works primarily with artists, entrepreneurs, social enterprises, and small businesses. Megan is a Strategic Storyteller who draws out the many stories that surround an organization and then turns those stories into a powerful brand. Through her network of creative individuals, including designers, web developers and videographers, she collaborates to then bring that brand to life by producing and launching integrated marketing and social media campaigns.

Q&A with Megan Sheldon, Question 1:

Q: How did you initially become involved with storytelling?

A: When I was in my late teens, my mom introduced me to Joseph Campbell and other Jungian mythologists as a way of understanding my place in the world. At the time, I was studying English and media at McGill University, and I wanted to be a journalist. Six years later, after working as a journalist, an editor, a PR strategist, and a marketing consultant, I decided to pursue this passion for mythology and completed a master’s from the University of Edinburgh examining myths that have been told and retold over the centuries. I started to recognize the patterns and archetypes that emerged from so many stories, and wanted to explore our innate connection to stories further.