Issue 12 - December 9th 2024
I want to invite you to turn to storytelling when...
You want to change your point of view
Troubadours, the storytellers of old, knew the power of perspective. They spent time carefully choosing the point of view for their tales and committed to it. But in life — and leadership — the real power lies in shifting perspectives.
In his ignorance of the whole truth, each person maintains his own arrogant point of view.
Siddhartha Gautama
Stories teach us how to do just that. Through characters, we experience their struggles, joys, and even beliefs that differ from our own. This process, called cognitive identification, allows us to step into someone else’s world. We empathize with their challenges, learn from their victories, and begin to see the world through their eyes.
For leaders, this isn’t just an exercise in imagination—it’s a tool for growth. The next time you’re navigating a tough decision or seeking fresh insight, turn to a story. Dive into a novel, a movie, or even a colleague’s experience. Pick your “hero” and ask: How would they interpret this situation? What solutions might they uncover?
Like the Troubadours, you have the power to craft your perspective. Use storytelling as your guide to find the best lens — not just for the challenges you face, but for the story you want to tell as a leader.
For my readers who would like to learn more about the change of perspective, I suggest the following papers:
About The Troubadour
Storytelling can be a powerful tool - even for those of us who are not professional writers. There are numerous books, videos and classes on the subject. Typically, they provide insights on HOW to draft and present a story.
The Troubadour is about WHEN to leverage storytelling.
The use cases and examples presented in the newsletters are all based on my personal experience as someone (a manager) who has the responsibility to archive a business outcome by leveraging a team of humans. Although telling stories usually was not something I was compensated for, I found the techniques superior to many other means of communication.
The Troubadour is about storytelling as a MANAGEMENT TOOL.
Storytelling is often taught by journalists, actors or others who were professionally trained to excel in this art. What I am sharing are my own observations, lessons learned and numerous sources reviewed on the subject.
The Troubadour is based on my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS A MANAGER.
Do you like The Troubadour? Please forward to anyone who could be interested.
About Me
Storytelling has been part of my professional life for more than 20 years. Although I was never trained to become a professional writer (or narrator), relying on stories to communicate better has always felt natural to me.
Besides of blogs and articles, I published a novel (The Lion of Ishtar) which is available in book stores with the ISBN?9783757809959 and 9783757881603 (Book 1 and 2).
Outside of my day job, I am also coaching with special focus on storytelling.
About the Logo: For centuries, troubadours were the dominant tool of mass communication. Their ability to (select &) present content ultimately determined their income (and survival). Troubadours were masters of storytelling.