Reflection on Storytelling

1. Challenge

I was invited as a solution-focused coach to work with the Ministry of Human Resource in  collaboration with TalentCorp Agency. The challenge was to know the factors contributing to  unemployment rate in the country. There were some clear areas and some gray areas. Information  on the target stakeholders and their educational background were clearly known. While the gray  matters were (i) the effort of the target stakeholders, (ii) the key challenges faced by the  stakeholders, and (iii) the steps taken by the stakeholders in overcoming their challenges. What  was not known is the reason for unemployment of this graduates despite completing degree on  time with reasonably good grades. Some pre-work was done to know the main factors and it was  found that every factor is relating back to the unemployed graduate. However, the information  were incomplete and unconfirmed.

2. Selection

The tool selected to address this problem was storytelling. Storytelling is about narrating relevant  stories to our stakeholders and it creates the bond between the storyteller and the listener. As  mentioned by Jim Johnson (Global Leadership Development Director, Mars Inc) in the video  lecture, storytelling is not only about bringing different elements, it is about connecting the  stakeholders and the information we are sharing. Usage of this tool creates emotional connection.  Storytelling is also a great tool to be used in this challenge as this involves unemployed graduates.  This group of people often feel very down with their current situation of not being able to secure  any job with many of them having financial difficulties and going through emotional turmoil  experiencing dejection. By sharing stories which deeply touches their heart and mind, the affected  people able to open up on their problem faced.

3. Application

I used the details of my own experience to create a story relevant to unemployed graduates. I was  given an opportunity to work with several unemployed graduates in a coaching session and I used  storytelling to get connected with them. We sat in a circle and I started to share the problems I  used to face right after my graduation in seeking for job and immediately the people who was all  the time remained quiet started to open up about their problems in applying for jobs. As one  unemployed graduate was getting connected with his story, another able to relate themselves into  the similar situation. Then I also shared how I manage to overcome this challenges by increasing  the number of application and improving the medium of connecting to the companies (through  postage, online application and phone calls). Only then, the unemployed graduates started to  express the key challenge they faced which they could not find any solution to it. The information  on the key challenge came as a surprise to myself and the ministry themselves. As, all the while  the focus was only on the unemployed graduates.

4. Insight

The major discovery through this storytelling tool was on their key challenge which highlighted  the need to know Mandarin language for jobs related to public relations, human resource and  administration. We got totally off-guard as through usual requirement gathering session, this  challenge was not captured. The need for mandarin language as one of the requirement was not  even considered as a factor initially. The unemployed graduates too felt that their problems have  been heard by the relevant authorities. As mentioned by few of them, their interview session with  the potential employers went on smoothly, however they are not being called to take up the jobs.  One of the main reason is, another candidate with added value of knowing this additional language  seemed like a better catch for the employers. Thus, the discovery of this challenge was also taken  seriously by the ministry whom started to investigate in deeper on the need to introduce additional  language at school level for students of all ethnic. This created a thought to look into the syllabus  in schools that will be able to prepare the students for their potential employers in future.

5. Approach

I found that storytelling is one of the best tool to be used in this scenario as it helped to create an  inner-bond between the unemployed graduates and the storyteller. With such bond and trust  established, the unemployed graduates express their deep thoughts, worries, problems and failure  in attaining their goals. This helped me to discover problems which was not previously captured.  I think storytelling is one of the best tool in design thinking approach that can be used in user  empathy.

