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Articulating Your Why

Build skills, capacity, and morale all while building stronger, more trusting relationships with your colleagues.

Program Overview:

Articulating your connection to your mission through personal storytelling has the power to foster connection with those in your team, allowing them to appreciate each other’s unique paths. This program operates as a space for participants to be seen and heard by one another and practice appreciative listening. 

Participants will explore the wealth of stories in their own personal and professional histories that can be tapped for communicating one-on-one or in group settings. This program allows teams and cohorts to quickly build relationships through authenticity and vulnerability.

Plan This Program

Core Objectives:

  • Enhance storytelling skills, to be used as a tool to effectively share experiences, build relationships, and connect others to your mission/vision.

  • Practice the use of vivid language, speaking in snapshots, recognizing the need for a beginning middle end structure, and using body and voice to convey key messages.

  • Refine ability during stakeholder communication to listen for strengths & values.

  • Deepen personal connection to mission and ability to draw on that wellspring to deal with challenging times.

  • Strengthen relationships with colleagues through shared experience of storytelling and team-building exercises.

    • Understanding a model for leadership presence and communication

    • Being present and flexible

    • Articulating communication strengths and challenges

    • Using vocal and breathing techniques to expand dynamic range, passion, and flexibility

    • Using storytelling to make communication personal and memorable

    • Group Size: Small (Max 10) or Large (Max 40 in person, Max 25 virtually)

    • Duration: 4 hours (presented as a half day program, both in person and virtually)

    • Small groups seeking a high-touch, immersive training with targeted coaching from facilitator

    • Bigger groups (teams or cohorts) to strengthen culture and collaboration, build trust, and deepen their connection-to-mission through storytelling

optional Program variation

This program can be adapted as a team-building experience, allowing participants to deepen their relationships through authenticity and vulnerability while strengthening their commitment to the values and vision of their school or organization.

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What Past Participants Are Saying:

  • “I loved the concrete exercises, precise feedback, and turning it around and doing it again. Stories are so powerful. I feel like I’m walking away with concrete leadership tools AND also a reaffirmation in the power of stories.”

  • “The storytelling techniques coupled with multiple rounds of feedback were most enlightening for me as a leader. The feedback I received was specific and actionable.”

  • “The growth I experienced in the session was so visible, and it was such a gift to get to hear the stories my colleagues told. I would have done this for 3 more hours.”

  • “This program helped me focus and hone a story that I have been telling for years to make it more impactful and better share my values and why they are important.”

  • “This session affirmed the value in my voice/story and why it needs to be told.”

  • "From building deeper connections with colleagues to receiving on-the-spot application and practice of the skills, I felt this experience was both effective and meaningful. I loved being able to share narratives with others and be vulnerable, while also developing an understanding for the power of storytelling."

  • "I would recommend this program as it is a great teambuilding activity that also allowed us to dig in and understand our purpose and personal mission. It is a beautiful way to connect with one another."

  • “I appreciated the thoughtful step by step process and the way in which the small group allowed us to become a trusting community of cheerleaders for one another. I also appreciated the intentional focus on hearing, affirming and then pushing one another as a result of strong protocols.”