Comments on: That happened to me once … http://www.shourstonandassociates.com/blog/2008/02/12/that-happened-to-me-once/ where story and information intersect Sat, 16 May 2009 20:46:08 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: Mary K http://www.shourstonandassociates.com/blog/2008/02/12/that-happened-to-me-once/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Mary K Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:00:30 +0000 http://www.shourstonandassociates.com/blog/2008/02/12/that-happened-to-me-once/#comment-16 In healthcare, we use stories all the time. In fact, when we nurses would dispute the necessity of admitting some random patient, the physician would admit, "He had a good story." Stories help to vividly illustrate points that might otherwise be dry and mundane. We start our stories out, "Do you remember the patient in room 209..." or "I had a patient once who..." and we're off. Patients tell us stories all the time. They try to parse the meanings of their lives and their illnesses, the relationships they have with their families and with us. And then we're left with trying to write the endings when they're discharged, or fill in the chapters when we read their obituaries. In healthcare, we use stories all the time. In fact, when we nurses would dispute the necessity of admitting some random patient, the physician would admit, “He had a good story.”

Stories help to vividly illustrate points that might otherwise be dry and mundane. We start our stories out, “Do you remember the patient in room 209…” or “I had a patient once who…” and we’re off.

Patients tell us stories all the time. They try to parse the meanings of their lives and their illnesses, the relationships they have with their families and with us. And then we’re left with trying to write the endings when they’re discharged, or fill in the chapters when we read their obituaries.

]]> By: Del Rosario http://www.shourstonandassociates.com/blog/2008/02/12/that-happened-to-me-once/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Del Rosario Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:56:08 +0000 http://www.shourstonandassociates.com/blog/2008/02/12/that-happened-to-me-once/#comment-14 I remember being told a story by an instructor in my library school and have found it to be a mixed blessing. In turn, my examples of work situations are the recounting of a story about the situation. How to market your library? How to develop respect amongst other professionals? Maybe this is what you are looking for? I remember being told a story by an instructor in my library school and have found it to be a mixed blessing. In turn, my examples of work situations are the recounting of a story about the situation. How to market your library? How to develop respect amongst other professionals? Maybe this is what you are looking for?

]]> By: Lisa Neal http://www.shourstonandassociates.com/blog/2008/02/12/that-happened-to-me-once/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Lisa Neal Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:27:56 +0000 http://www.shourstonandassociates.com/blog/2008/02/12/that-happened-to-me-once/#comment-13 Having seen many failed knowledge management systems, I think eliciting stories is a great idea. The difficulty is in getting stories that effectively illustrate a point. I just gave a talk about storytelling in presentations (http://lisaneal.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/breathing-jumping-and-storytelling-enhance-presentations/) and in my talk gave the example of how eliciting a story from the audience can be used very effectively as long as the story is of the right length and to the point (http://lisaneal.wordpress.com/2008/01/06/if-people-dont-listen-to-their-doctors-who-do-they-listen-to/). Many people are not good storytellers. I see this as the biggest difficulty, because if someone is too constrained, say by a template, the story might not be rich, but if too open-ended, the points might not be apparent enough. Having seen many failed knowledge management systems, I think eliciting stories is a great idea. The difficulty is in getting stories that effectively illustrate a point.

I just gave a talk about storytelling in presentations (http://lisaneal.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/breathing-jumping-and-storytelling-enhance-presentations/) and in my talk gave the example of how eliciting a story from the audience can be used very effectively as long as the story is of the right length and to the point (http://lisaneal.wordpress.com/2008/01/06/if-people-dont-listen-to-their-doctors-who-do-they-listen-to/). Many people are not good storytellers.

I see this as the biggest difficulty, because if someone is too constrained, say by a template, the story might not be rich, but if too open-ended, the points might not be apparent enough.

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