Our response to the Covid-19 pandemic begins with listening. What does the world sound like right now? What do you hear and feel when you take a moment to listen?
Like everyone, we hear words and sounds of deep economic distress and personal loss at a large scale. These sounds are ameliorated only by the heroism of countless on the front lines, innovation across medical, technological, and governmental fields . We do also hear a social sound—perhaps a wounded-ness—as the disorienting lack of connection bears on our hearts and minds. As storytellers, who listen and then consider how to respond, we feel we can contribute to bringing communities back together and painting pictures of the future.
The age-old practice of storytelling can—and must—be called upon now to do what it does best: reignite our deepest ability to connect. Often overshadowed by the speed and availability of device-based connection, now is the time when the strength of storytelling can shape and positively influence person-to-person and group communication. We believe without hesitation that storytelling can reach across the boundaries of isolation. And as we return to work— in a new mode, with more space between us and less time together—our stories can bring us closer around common experiences and universal themes.
Our experience with virtual training
Narativ has offered virtual training and coaching for a number of years. At first these courses were an experiment. Could storytelling training be transmitted online? The answer was an unequivocal yes, in particular because our training follows a 7-step methodology that gives structure to the entire storytelling process, from excavation to presentation. In the end, we realized, why would storytelling not work online? Think about it: stories from centuries past still fire up our imagination and imbue our culture with values and perspective. Why would a Zoom conference call diminish that power?
Our workshops utilize breakout groups for practice and include direct feedback from a trainer. Preparatory videos, surveys, and workbooks lay the ground; follow up surveys measure results. Our deep experience with the application of storytelling to business and cultural goals provides a roadmap for what comes after the workshop.
At a more developed level of storytelling, depending on the application you envision, videos can be captured and collected with relevant metadata on a simple CMS we’ve built on top of WordPress. They hold important experiences and data in the most engaging format, storytelling. Use them to induct new hires, present critical knowledge, and inspire your entire organization.
Executive coaching
Executives who seek coaching for presentations can begin with an initial set of four 1 hour sessions. Our coaching stretches beyond basic storytelling techniques to preparation for presentations based on principles drawn from theater, bodywork, and sociology. In the often disembodied space of online communication, being grounded in your story arouses confidence, warmth, and connection that is critical right now for your audiences to feel and benefit from. We’ve reduced our prices to respond to the financial hardship many face. A $2500 four-session coaching package begins at $1750.
We look forward to your inquiry about how storytelling can support your leadership or employees in this uniquely challenging time.
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
