Category / Only Human Stories / Story Gathering / Story Telling
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How I Make Annual Reports… Easy
During my time at Uni, I volunteered at a medium-sized not-for-profit organisation. My role included making coffee, handling post office errands and doing research here and there. It was a pretty cruisey way to earn a uni credit, and everyone in the organisation was smart, kind and generally relaxed… until the dreaded Annual Report was…
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Have You Ever Asked this Question?
Some years back, I was meeting with the exec team and board members of a disability organisation. There were about 12 of us. I’d been gathering stories from the founders and staff for their 40th anniversary and on this day, I was going to share some of what I’d discovered. I’d chosen a range of stories…
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6 Storytelling Tips for Not-For-Profits
For many not-for-profit organisations impact stories are essential for showing the world (and reminding themselves), of the amazing work they do. Yet, for some reason, be it lack of time, confidence, enthusiasm – the stories they want rarely appear. We often meet with these leaders and get asked ‘Where do I find the stories?’ ‘Can…
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Accidentally deleting my iPhone photos was kinda liberating.
A few weeks ago I (accidentally) deleted the last 2 years of my iPhone photos. People who know me know, I’m very sentimental and that I take a LOT of iPhone photos. I love documenting things, especially the ‘small’ and intimate moments we don’t always remember or post on social media. It’s my way of…
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A story of not standing up to sexism, and why it still matters.
Growing up in my hometown was pretty dreamy. It’s a coastal town, where weekends were always at the beach. You know, sunbaking, swimming, maybe even snorkeling but surfing? Nah…that was for the boys. It’s no secret surfing is traditionally dominated by men. It’s better now, but it’s taken a while. So after…
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Creating a future story
I was 41 weeks pregnant when I nabbed my first job writing for television. I remember waddling into the Executive Producer’s office and seeing him quickly look from me to the spindly chair I was heading towards. He was a polite guy and tried to hide his amazement. (Note: he didn’t hide it very well.)…
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A Shout Out to the Work Husbands & Wives
Does it sound weird to say how much I miss my work husband? I don’t want to sound ungrateful … or even disloyal… to my everlasting, 24 hour kitchen sink partner, Ross. After all, he is the father of our kids and in the new WFH lockdown regimen, I guess he might qualify as a…
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Coaching with Story: Find the Forward Metaphor
When someone is stuck, finding a forward metaphor and coaching with story can often be both liberating and revelatory. Here’s an example that involves a beautiful town and an even more beautiful Italian policeman. Try it in your coaching or supervision. The woman was quietly exhausted by her struggle to move on after her organisation…
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No story without a listener
It was a small training session. The group was learning a new process to record the stories of their programs for practice evaluation. One woman looked flustered, anxious. ‘Every morning I wake up and think, ‘How much longer can I keep this up?’ It was like she said it to herself but out loud. ‘I…
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Best story ideas from around the world
Monday fireworks for the brain. Straight from my brain to yours. This is a deliriously fab selection of the best creative story ideas and advice from around the globe. Apologies that I didn’t post last week. I meant to honestly but I was swimming in stories playing out all around me. So, I was breathing…
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Old Story to New Story: See the change
There were about 15 women, all ages and backgrounds, heads down in a St Vincent de Paul Thrift shop. I was doing my usual scan through the racks looking for a 60’s or 70’s style gem…one that wouldn’t make me look like I was there the first time. The radio was on, as it often…
