The Storywell

Visiting the Native American Museum with my son's class, I was reminded of the importance of stories. Stories are used to transmit tradition, create a shared history, imbue values, and determine theology. Every society has its stories. Whether we look at Greek mythology, Native American legends or American folklore, for centuries people have used stories to build community.

Leaders are right to learn from this pattern. Storytelling is an important skill for all leadership. Bill Clinton proved the power of stories. As a master storyteller, Clinton always punctuated his speeches with stories of real people. These stories add drama, create an emotional connection with the audience and are very memorable pieces to take with you. Presidents and candidates after him have tried to emulate this pattern.

It is no surprise that the Bible is written through story. Whether the events actually occurred or not does not diminish the power of the story. We learn lessons of behavior, history, ritual, creation, and God through these stories. We can retain them because the characters come alive. We relate to the people and their struggles (or at least most of them).

As Jewish leaders we can appreciate the power of the storytelling in accomplishing great things and building community. We need to hone these skills and use them in our speeches, writings, and conversations.