possibility…

In talking about the value of story and the critical role our stories (or illustrative examples) can play in a “selling situation,” it’s vital that we be mindful of our listeners. This may seem like stating the obvious, but Paul Costello and Madelyn Blair of the Center for Narrative Studies clearly point out the importance of listeners to your story.

First, storytelling never happens in a vacuum. And second, no listening space is neutral. The space into which we speak is already shaped by other stories. … [N]o matter what I say, what matters in the end is what the audience thinks they hear.

From: The Center for Narrative Studies. “Story as the Shape of Our Listening: The Lessons Learnt from Listening Teams.”

Whatever your story, your listeners will place it within their own framework, which includes expectations, assumptions, and experiences. By being aware of story listeners and potential interpretations, you can create or tell your stories in different ways. While you can never know all of the filters that story listeners are using, being aware of this aspect of the story process can help you watch for unintended reactions or misinterpretations.