Challenge & Selection

Storytelling is something I have been trained in by numerous companies, both corporate and  more humanitarian focused. I have also had the privilege of spending time working in Human  Rights, which had a profound impact on me and the importance of remaining grounded and  making a difference to the world. The challenge was enabling a more business and commercial  focused team in a humanitarian organisation to connect with and remain grounded with aspects  of human vulnerability and suffering. Although the financial and business orientated aspects will  tend to be at a forefront, I believe it is important to remember the wider picture and ethos behind  what we do. By humanising the session, it will help create a level of empathy and in some cases  discomfort – which can be a positive – helping to bridge the gap between the emotional / human  sides and the financial / business side. This also provides information in terms of reactions,  stories and questions that stakeholders may have – which helps to provide context into their  views and thoughts. It is also important to both share and listen to stories, making sure it is not a  one-sided affair to create a safe environment for all and foster a sense of collaboration.

Application:

I firstly explained why I believed storytelling was important for reasons similar to the above,  alongside aiming to encourage participation and action. The company was very focused on  maximising money spent in terms of efficiency – which is critical considering the level of audit  and accuracy needed given elements of donation present. Whilst seeking to maximise the  amount of resource and output given per donation, and providing exemplary ability for donor to  track these payments, there also a need to highlight just how the impacts were and could be  unfolding. I aimed to create a very individual focused story, focused on real life examples that  showcased not just the successes of how money could utilised, but also the areas where more  could be done. I also attempted to highlight the fact the quantity spent does not necessarily  translate into the amount of positive impact achieved in a one-to-one ratio. I think it is also  important to not just recognise the needs of an individual, but also those of a group and their  different interests and biases. I chose a story featuring someone who has escaped from a  dictatorship government, and started a new life with the support of similar organisations to ours.  His speech focused not just on his personal history, trauma and the disparity between that and  his current life, but also on the wider context in relation to his country and the wider scenario  there. It helped extrapolate the issue from a personal, individual tale into a larger, scaled issue.

Insight and Approach:

I deemed the talk to be relatively success, in terms of the impact on the room and the abiity to  visualise an issue in order provide a tangible impact. Namely, the change or call to action for the  people in the room to be a driving force against impunity and human rights abuses worldwide.  This encouraged not just donation, but more importantly emotion and a amplification of issues in  peoples’ consciousness. Sometimes issues aren’t necessarily strictly financial, so I feel this  technique is useful in that way in bridging the divide between commercial and human aspects of

life.  I felt this gave us buy in with both individuals in the room, but also the wider organisations  they represented. This made me firstly understand better the power of storytelling, for the  individual telling the story and the audience. It also had the effect of creating a strong emotion in

the room.

Importantly, the course aided me in seeing the tool in a more powerful and structured way. It is  possible to plan, with aims and objectives, what the impact you are seeking and plan things in a  more methodological way through the course. It helps provide a framework in understand how to  best employ tools for impact.


Challenge & Selection Storytelling is something I have been trained in by numerous companies , both corporate and more humanitarian focused . I have also had the privilege of spending time working in Human Rights , which had a profound impact on me and the importance of remaining grounded and making a difference to the world . The challenge was enabling a more business and commercial focused team in a humanitarian organisation to connect with and remain grounded with aspects of human vulnerability and suffering . Although the financial and business orientated aspects will tend to be at a forefront , I believe it is important to remember the wider picture and ethos behind what we do . By humanising the session , it will help create a level of empathy and in some cases discomfort – which can be a positive – helping to bridge the gap between the emotional / human sides and the financial / business side . This also provides information in terms of reactions , stories and questions that stakeholders may have – which helps to provide context into their views and thoughts . It is also important to both share and listen to stories , making sure it is not a one - sided affair to create a safe environment for all and foster a sense of collaboration . Application : I firstly explained why I believed storytelling was important for reasons similar to the above , alongside aiming to encourage participation and action . The company was very focused on maximising money spent in terms of efficiency – which is critical considering the level of audit and accuracy needed given elements of donation present . Whilst seeking to maximise the amount of resource and output given per donation , and providing exemplary ability for donor to track these payments , there also a need to highlight just how the impacts were and could be unfolding . I aimed to create a very individual focused story , focused on real life examples that showcased not just the successes of how money could utilised , but also the areas where more could be done . I also attempted to highlight the fact the quantity spent does not necessarily translate into the amount of positive impact achieved in a one - to - one ratio . I think it is also important to not just recognise the needs of an individual , but also those of a group and their different interests and biases . I chose a story featuring someone who has escaped from a dictatorship government , and started a new life with the support of similar organisations to ours . His speech focused not just on his personal history , trauma and the disparity between that and his current life , but also on the wider context in relation to his country and the wider scenario there . It helped extrapolate the issue from a personal , individual tale into a larger , scaled issue . Insight and Approach : I deemed the talk to be relatively success , in terms of the impact on the room and the abiity to visualise an issue in order provide a tangible impact . Namely , the change or call to action for the people in the room to be a driving force against impunity and human rights abuses worldwide . This encouraged not just donation , but more importantly emotion and a amplification of issues in peoples ’ consciousness . Sometimes issues are n’t necessarily strictly financial , so I feel this technique is useful in that way in bridging the divide between commercial and human aspects of life . I felt this gave us buy in with both individuals in the room , but also the wider organisations they represented . This made me firstly understand better the power of storytelling , for the individual telling the story and the audience . It also had the effect of creating a strong emotion in the room . Importantly , the course aided me in seeing the tool in a more powerful and structured way . It is possible to plan , with aims and objectives , what the impact you are seeking and plan things in a more methodological way through the course . It helps provide a framework in understand how to best employ tools for impact .