Pablo Romero Example Reflection – Storytelling

Challenge

My challenge was that I had to found this new society on creativity, leadership, innovation and design.

Therefore, I had to convince people in my college that it was a good idea and I would gain their

participation with this way. So, long story short, I had to influence people along the foundation of this

creative society. Among with that, there were other stakeholders such as society’s collaborative

companies and college management.

Selection

When it comes to affecting and influencing people under your organization, in my opinion, there is no

better choice then storytelling. I have a story to tell them about why the existing societies are not as

good as they should be, and there is no society that would excel students’ soft skills. If you want to

create, you need to create. You cannot just listen to people who create and then become a creator

yourself. This idea led to turn my thoughts to a story then to tell people. Some say storytelling have

four P’s: People, Place, Plot, and Purpose. Therefore, I chose storytelling to be able to show these

aspects.

Application

Before assembling people together for the board of this society, I have took them one by one and spoke

privately with each. Emotional branding is the key point in here for society and I have tried that. Each

individual was from different disciplines, because this society is a multidisciplinary one. Hence, I aimed

for their needs and how this society can have benefits for their faculty as well. Apart from that, our

collaborative companies had their needs as well. After all, it must be a win-win relationship and I told

our story according to that. I explained the benefits of cooperation with telling stories. People had to

chance to show empathy with this storytelling applications and were all eager to participate in it.

Insight

Applying this tool really showed me that systematic and emotional approach when it comes to using

storytelling works wonderful. Showing empathy to people’s needs and influencing them using design

thinking has many benefits. Apart from that I gained experience with my story each time I told it then

each time I did better at telling it.

Approach

I would apply this tool for a similar case because I saw that people needs to start with “why?” instead

of what. In addition, I was able to create complexity in their heads and then solve it by answering with

storytelling.

Another tools like visualization and mind mapping is actually applied with this method too but they

weren’t directly. I might consider using mind mapping more directly too because mind map is a diagram

used to visually organize information. A mind map is hierarchical and shows relationships among pieces

of the whole. Which would benefit my explanation of the society to other people.

