How can storytelling improve community engagement?

Storytelling is a universal human need. In fact, they are so universal that they are everywhere. Not all of these stories are helpful ones. Some of them are actually quite toxic. They can split us into "winners" and "losers," "us" and "them." And when they do this, they can leave us feeling stuck or tempt us to do things we will come to regret. Leaders need to recognize these harmful stories and name them for what they are. And once they do, they need to develop counter-stories that invite people to see their lives differently.

Part of crafting a good story involves identifying your purpose for telling the story. Are you trying to inspire others? To what end? Are you trying to educate and inform? Or are you simply trying to connect to others through shared human experiences? Regardless of your intent, a key aspect of good storytelling is authenticity. Sharing truth and genuine experience almost always resonates with others. In essence, authentic storytelling, driven by a clear purpose, serves as a powerful means to inspire, educate, or connect by weaving shared human experiences. Sparking another’s imagination is always a worthwhile endeavor and is part of the rich tapestry that forms the story of humanity.

Narrating in the first person, rather than sharing someone else's story, is always best policy when it comes to the most effective way to get one's voice across. It's vital, particularly when using storytelling to solicit funds or spread awareness, to NOT tell someone else's story for them. Authenticity is golden because it shares truth about how your work helps others.

In addition to the formal elements of a story, we also need to pay attention to the values the story is trying to embody and the ability of that story to help us get unstuck. How does the story we're trying to tell speak to the better angels of our nature? How does it counter the darker stories around us? How does it lead us somewhere better?

This exercise is helpful both in helping create our stories and in helping us understand where our community or organization "is." We can learn a lot about a group through the stories its members tell. Collecting stories, then, isn't simply about marketing or outreach. It's an essential part of leadership.

Stories should be told from a variety of perspectives, evoking diverse reactions and via a number of different channels. Just as each nonprofit is multi-faceted and unique, so should be its storytelling.

When thinking about telling a story, I find it helpful to use the acronym POST. Who are the People you are trying to reach? What Objectives are you trying to acheive with those people? What Stories best match those people and objectives? And what Technologies best match the stories you want to tell, reach the people you want to reach, and acheive the objectives you want to acheive? All four factors will shape how you tell your stories.

In evaluating your impact, remember that the power of a story may not be immediately felt or measured through social media mentions. The power of strong story will grow over time.

Storytelling improves community engagement by creating a sense of belonging, empathy, and shared identity. When people hear stories about their community, they feel more connected to it and to the people in it. Stories can also help people to understand and empathize with each other's experiences, even if they are different from their own. This can lead to a stronger sense of community and a greater desire to be involved.