Book update
Two months ago, I shared the news of a major milestone in the birth of my book Story-Centred Leadership: Crafting Cultures of Change – a contract with Routledge. When I said the real work was just beginning, I wasn’t kidding. Now it's August and I’m digging deep. By the end of the month, I will have conducted over 70 interviews and completed the first draft (fingers crossed!).
Firstly, thank you! The initial enthusiasm and generosity, including from people outside my immediate network, has been incredible. Many inspiring conversations have expanded my thinking and reinforced my personal ‘why’ behind this project – namely, how we can contribute to a healthier planet and equitable world by strengthening our ability to listen, build, shape, share and live stories of change. For example, yesterday I spoke with an amazing Malawian, public health leader ANDREW LIKAKA, introduced to me by Trent Smyth AM. Andrew has already made a major contribution to public health outcomes in his country, including what has now become a global initiative in the prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child. As a life-long learner, he reflected on the fact that many education institutions under-estimate how stories can be used for transformational change. “In public health, there are many successes not being brought forward because people don’t have the skills to share these stories.” That spurred me on.
How can this community continue to help? What I need now is to ensure that this book is as relevant and inclusive as possible to anyone who is curious to cultivate thriving communities and workplaces. What voices have I not yet heard that often get overlooked? What examples can I not see because they are so far from my lived experience? Please help me expand my examples, contacts and knowledge in these areas:
Creative ways being used to accelerate stories of change and reach new audiences e.g. the arts, media, marketing, education, poetry, song, rap, comedy, community, protest, performance.
Sectors: public sector, social enterprise, creative industries, communities, NGOs.
Geographies: individuals based in South America, the Middle East, Africa, Australasia.
Story-Sharing: examples of where story and leadership have contributed to building purpose-led, fearless cultures in organisations.
Story-Living: examples of story-centred leaders who are creating change in their context including at neighbourhood level.
Examples of how story is contributing to different fields of practice and theory.