The Power of Stories for Change – Douwe van der Werf

Stories are what people use to organize themselves and their societies. That’s the stunning argument in Douwe van der Werf‘s 2021 Playful Creative Summit conversation, The Power of Stories for Change, with David Chislett. Religious texts are an example of how humans attempt to explain their lives, national structures are another. Stories answer “Why should I care?”

Personal effective storytelling may not be comfortable – to find what feels true to you may require asking hard questions, deliberately pausing when you’re finding yourself overwhelmed by a powerful emotion. Extending the habit to cultural norms, even more so. But there may be critical reasons to do so, to combat prejudice and promote equity. Applied to businesses, the concept involves setting aside sales stories to tell the more intimate stories of the company’s mission.

I’d encourage everyone to try this – to stop for a moment, ask yourself “What am I saying to myself, is it real to me?” whenever you’re  The answer might be surprising. It’s my fervent hope I summarized this conversation accurately, it’s breathtaking.