Enhancing Mentoring Through Storytelling: A Menttium Local Networking Event

Enhancing Mentoring Through Storytelling: A Menttium Local Networking Event

Stories can be powerful things. You may think of storytelling as something for children, or a way to pass the time around a campfire with friends, but storytelling plays a prominent role in the world of business. A good story can prompt an emotional transformation in the ones who hear it. In fact, research has shown that good stories can even go so far as to change brain chemistry. But how does one develop their storytelling abilities to the point in which its an asset in a professional setting?

At Menttium, we are continuously looking for ways to help our mentors and mentees learn and grow their skill set, as well as network with the Menttium community. To do so, we frequently host or sponsor mentoring events to connect industry professionals and facilitate professional growth. This month, in partnership with U.S. Bank, we hosted a morning of recognition, development, and networking to focus on the the power of storytelling in mentoring partnerships.

Key Takeaways and Learnings

Joined by members of our Menttium network, U.S. Bank leaders, and seasoned Menttium mentors, we started the day with breakfast, some words from Menttium’s CEO, Lynn Sontag, U.S. Bank’s mentoring program manager, Ashley Howard, and three of our valued Menttium mentors: Roz Tsai, VP HR, Enterprise Learning & Talent Capability at Ecolab, Tom Schlick, Author, Consultant, Executive Coach and Adjunct Professor, CO2 Partners, Schlick & Associates, LLC and Hamline University, and Carlos Berger, President and CEO at System4 of MN.  

Ms. Tsai gave a moving account of the importance of stories in her experience as an immigrant to the United States, and how her own stories of work-life balance have helped many of the individuals she has mentored during her career in leadership. Mr. Schlick recounted how telling stories has helped him to be a better mentor, and how the stories he hears from mentees have helped him to be a lifelong learner. Mr. Berger also touched on the importance of stories in mentoring relationships with professionals very different from himself, and emphasized how learning truly does happen at the difference.  

Inspiring stories from each of these mentors was followed by an interactive workshop on the power of storytelling lead by one of our local mentors, Jean Storlie. Ms. Storlie is the President and Owner of Storlietelling LLC and has honed her expertise in utilizing storytelling as a powerful aid in the corporate world.

Ms. Storlie outlined the elements of a good story: character, struggles against an obstacle, and experiencing an emotional transformation which leads to a new understanding or truth. Working in tables, attendees practiced telling stories of someone who made an impact on their lives (typically a mentor) and then demonstrated the importance of the narrative arc and its elements.  She encouraged participants to practice this approach in order to become more effective at storytelling in a professional setting. Storlie also emphasized that anyone can be a good storyteller, and took participants through brainstorming techniques which can help you arrive at incidents from your past which you can bring to life as good stories to engage people. Our Menttium community in attendance left the session feeling better equipped to incorporate storytelling into their daily work and mentoring partnerships.

Learn More About Enhancing Mentoring Through Storytelling Now

If you missed this event, you can learn more about storytelling in the professional setting at Jean Storlie’s website. The team at Menttium would love to have you join us for our next local networking event. Keep an eye on our website for details and registration. We would like to thank all of those who attended our Storytelling event, with a special thanks to our speakers. If you would like to learn about our community mentoring events, or about becoming a Menttium mentor contact us today.