easier to listen to everyone’s stories and ensures that nothing is overlooked. Make sure each small group is as diverse as possible, choosing its participants at random.

To motivate storytelling, prepare some guiding questions in advance to help them recall key events. You can write down two or three questions on a flipchart if the meeting is conducted in person, or display them on a presentation slide in case of a virtual meeting.

Then, provide a brief instruction to the participants: “I am going to show you a set of guiding questions. Take your time to read them carefully, and use any question to recollect a specific event. Remember, it doesn’t have to be a grand event — perhaps a small moment that still holds a significant meaning to you.” 4. Start the story circle.

Ask the participants if everyone was able to recall a specific event. If anyone shakes their head, reassure them that stories often emerge in response to another person’s narrative. Once the sharing begins, their own story will likely come to mind. Next, present a brief set of instructions for sharing stories. It might look as follows:

• The first storyteller in the group shares a memory. Other participants listen attentively, each story being allotted five minutes.

• The listeners then provide feedback on the story. You can find suggestions for this in a later section of this article, titled “Collective Harvesting.”

• The storyteller reflects on what resonated most with them from the feedback received.

• Proceed to the next storyteller and continue the exchange of stories.

Later on, we will explore how stories you heard can be transformed into valuable data.

GUIDING QUESTIONS FOR UNCOVERING STORIES

David Hutchens, an international expert in strategic storytelling and the author of “Circle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers,” who has been training organizational leaders to work with stories for over 30 years, explains: “The words ‘story’ and ‘storytelling’ make many people freeze up and say, ‘What stories? I don’t have any stories!’ Stories emerge naturally all the time, but trying to coax them out of people is like coaxing a shy child out of their room. Sometimes I don’t use the terms ‘story’ or ‘storytelling’ at all. It is often better to simply start sharing stories without drawing attention to the fact that we are doing so.”

That is why guiding questions play a crucial role in working with stories. Here is one way to encourage people to begin sharing their stories: “Tell me about an incident / episode / moment / period from your life when…”

This is the textbook prompt for uncovering stories. When you say: “Tell me about…” you switch people’s attention to the linear, temporal continuum where stories exist naturally.

Additionally, this phrasing emphasizes that we are seeking a specific event.

To hear the beneficiaries’ stories about the project, you can use the following questions. Let’s clarify that these questions are not meant to elicit scripted responses. Rather, they are designed to help pinpoint an exact, specific event along the timeline of the past in the participants’ memories. The event could be quite small, even a tiny change — all the more valuable if it is remembered rather than overlooked. If a participant cannot recall anything initially, suggest that they listen to other participants, and then, most likely, they will also be able to recall a particular episode. If the majority of participants are unable to recall anything suitable, it might be a good time to conduct a story circle with the program authors to understand their intentions regarding the program’s impact and the desired outcomes they sought to achieve.

• Tell me about a moment when you smiled and thought: “There is now more of this / this is happening more often! How great is that!” What was happening?

• Tell me about a case when you felt surprised and joyful, thinking: “My life has genuinely improved recently, and these changes have happened thanks to the project.” What specifically changed? How did it happen?

• Initially, we aren’t always certain whether the project will achieve anything — that is perfectly normal. However, sometimes during the process, we become convinced about its value. Tell me about a moment when your doubts about the project’s worth were dispelled. What was happening?

To hear the project team’s stories and to assess the project from their viewpoint, you can use the following questions:

• Describe a moment when you were leaving the office at the end of the day and you thought with a smile: “I’d be willing to work for free just to see these changes take place!” What was happening?

• Recall a moment when you genuinely felt warmth in your heart because a person’s life improved, even if a little bit, thanks to your work and this project. What was happening?

• Work doesn’t always bring inspiration — most days bring nothing but routine. Think of a time when you suddenly felt a surge of inspiration amidst the daily routine, because you saw/realized the benefit your work was bringing to others.

What did you see? What was happening?

• Think of something that made you proud of your organization/team recently. Share a specific instance that left you feeling so satisfied that you couldn’t wait to tell your loved ones, spouse, other family members, or friends.

Use the following guiding questions to reveal stories about moments that require adjustment (these can be asked both to beneficiaries and to the program team members):

• Tell us about an episode when, as you observed the progress of the project, you thought: “Everything is working well, but this one aspect should be approached differently.” What did you observe? What was happening?

• Think about an instance when you realized that a mistake had been made in the project planning, or the wrong focus was chosen, but this error helped you identify something significant. What was happening? What conclusions did you draw?

• Describe the moment when you recognized that, regrettably, the project wasn’t omnipotent