See Madelyn’s bio, photo, and Part 1 of this Q&A.
Q&A with Madelyn Blair (Questions 2 and 3):
Q: What people or entities have been most influential to you in your story work and why?
A: For the last 7-8 years, there have two conferences in DC that have been most influential to me. Steve Denning hosts day-long sessions at the Smithsonian Institution, and Goldenfleece hosts a day-long international conference the day after the event at the Smithsonian. I usually speak at the Smithsonian and play a major role in the creation of the Goldenfleece Day (as it is known). At these two related events, some of the very best people in the use of story in business come to speak. Moreover in preparing my own talks, I find it a strong learning exercise for myself as well. More recently, the collaborative space, Worldwide Story Work, on ning.com has become a great source of insight into the topic of the use of story in general. Such luminaries as Limor Shiponi of Israel and Victoria Ward of London contribute to the discussions along with those of us from the US such as Karen Dietz, Terrence Gargiulo, Steve Denning, and more. I have found that the international perspective has been enhanced in this forum. Lastly, there is the Center for Narrative Studies, here in Washington, DC. Paul Costello is stellar in his understanding of narrative practice and shares his insights with alacrity.
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: I find it a bit wasteful to spend either time or energy on the definition of story. I know that there are those who feel this is important, but for my work in organizations, I find that people can work effectively using story without burdening them with definitions.