Listening can be a compass listening story activist story as a map Feb 10, 2024

This past week, someone gave me the gift of their listening. My friend told me he was interested in my work and would listen to support me finding my next path forward.

To anchor our conversation, I dug out a map I'd made in 2022. I'd made it to get some clarity about what I believe are the...

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Staying grounded during chaos art of hosting collective story harvest stories from the journey story activist Nov 05, 2023

I've been quiet for some time now, just cooking on my last journey and reflecting on the state of our world. There are two stories that stick with me from my very brief week in Istanbul. They reflect two lenses on what is happening and how we can host it.

The first is a moment in our ...

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Every meeting is a story makes me think story activist story as a map story as process partner Mar 07, 2022

This morning I was up before the sun and sitting in front of the computer ready to deliver a "Dialogue with Masters" session for the CP Yen Foundation.  The Foundation focuses on encouraging a culture of respect and participation through offering, training and providing information...

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The power of introverts makes me think story activist Jul 18, 2021

Joanna Rawbone is a change agent and an advocate for introverts. We talked about the power of story coupled with the super power of introverts on her podcast "The Flourishing Introvert Talks". As she says: "'We live in a story and that means we can change it' These words from Mary Alice...

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What stories have you been steeping in? 365 alive! future story inner work making meaning story activism story activist story as a map storymaking Aug 27, 2020

Stories are unfolding around us in every moment. We are awash with them. We are at the confluence of many powerful stories all competing for attention. Take the United States as an example:

  • The pandemic continues to surge with rising numbers in most places. Whether you believe...
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Looking for signs in a time of confusing stories makes me think making meaning story activist story as a map Apr 19, 2020

In these greatly challenging days, I have the sense that we are building a new kind of collective wisdom, one that for the moment remains mysterious. New communities are springing up around invitations to think together about issues or be in practice, or listen to new ways of looking at the...

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An Organizational Powerhouse – The Four Roles of Story (Part 3) future story story activist story as the map story evolution storymaking Nov 23, 2019

Story is already the currency of organization. We trade stories all day, every day, no matter where we work or live. That means they are the lifeblood of every organization, determining its health, well-being and future viability. If you want to story to become an agent of future potential,...

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Developing the ecology for community narratives story activist story evolution storymaking Sep 25, 2019

This post was written as a guest blog for Percolab.

I am writing this post sitting in the airport in Columbus, Ohio. It is currently 9:46 and my flight to Chicago and then on to Montreal should have departed at 8:27. It didn’t. Not because there are weather conditions here or mechanical...

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Surfing the 3 Waves of Story (Part 1) leadership practice story activist story as the map Dec 19, 2018

This is my rewrite of a series of blogposts from 2017, formulated into a chapter for a new book being published in 2019.  It comes in three parts, covering six perspectives I’m working with on the power of stories and what colleagues David Hutchens, David Drake and I call “The...

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Unpacking the privilege of the dominant narrative about stories stories from the journey story activist storymaking Jun 13, 2018

It was really only about three weeks ago that I finally learned how to spell the word privilege.  It may take me much, much longer to really unpack the privilege I have.  And it wasn't that I was unaware that I had any, but that my life and work are bringing me new ways to shine a light...

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