Story Prompts for Transmitting Values

Dr. Paul White recently wrote at length about using stories to transfer values from one family member to another (he wrote the post over the Christmas holidays, suggesting that period as a particularly good time to undertake this values transfer.)

Eventually White concludes:

An excellent way to share important principles and values is through storytelling. Although listing principles in bullet form works well in articles and books, that is not typically how we talk conversationally …

Of course, story experts like Annette Simmons and Steve Denning have written extensively about using stories to transmit values. Simmons refers to the “Values in Action” story, while Denning talks about “using narrative to instill organizational values.”

I like Dr. White’s family emphasis on the values story, and especially the prompts or “story starters” he suggests that families might tell. Presumably family values are embedded in these types of stories:

  • Memories you have about your grandparents — things you used to do with them.
  • Character qualities or talents you remember about your parents or grandparents.
  • Something special you remember getting or doing on your birthday when you were growing up.
  • Vacations you went on as a child and any memorable events that occurred on them.
  • What Christmas was like when you were little — what were the traditions at your grandparents’ homes?
  • How you met your spouse; about your dating / courtship / engagement; the early years of your marriage — where did you live, what kind of work did you do?
  • Some jobs you had when you were younger — including positive lessons and negative experiences.