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What is storytelling? Although researchers have yet to agree on a single, universal definition, storytelling at its core is simply about telling stories. It can take any form, from anecdote to novel, and has been one of the primary vehicles for human communication for more than 25,000 years (Hsu 2008). Storytelling is revealing: Stories told in communities and organizations contain information about the history, culture, and characteristics that unite a collective. They can also reveal the norms, values, and expectations of a particular group or environment, sometimes across generations (Sole and Wilson 2002). Whats more, because a single story can contain multiple meanings, storytelling is an efficient way to convey complex ideas in a way that helps the listener make sense of them (Boris 2017). Although the ideas may be complex, good storytelling simplifies and helps create understanding. Knowing how simple, effective, and efficient storytelling can be, it is no wonder that leaders are paying increasing attention to their role and value within organizations (Sole and Wilson 2002). Understanding what storytelling is can help us understand why it is so universal.
Recently I started to think about how to apply storytelling day to day in the workplace. Could it play a significant role in a place like the registrars office? It did not take much to connect my own experiences with the growing collection of research on stories and storytelling. I quickly saw that not only did it have vast potential, but it was already being used quite prominently. Stories are one of the primary ways in which humans communicate and interact with one another-even in an office.
Like any organization, the registrars office relies on stories. Stories from inside the office are vehicles for culture, knowledge, context, data, information, and the emotion implicit in the work we do. Stories from outside the office provide valuable insight for problem solving, process improvement, sense making, and understanding.
College and university registrars have experienced a marked increase in responsibility and complexity over the last several decades. Accordingly, the registrars office as an organization has also undergone a transformation. Members of units that once may have operated autonomously now are being asked to work together in an environment that is interconnected rather than separate. Stories can help integrate...