Story telling has rarely been more important.
In a time when political parties and the media are so very busy shouting facts that the other side immediately discredits, it should come as no surprise that story telling may be the one thing that saves us. In fact, until we hear the stories behind the statistics of some of the most pressing issues of the day, we will continue to be a nation divided, not united.
We need to hear the stories of the mother in a detention center who has been separated from her infant for months. We need to hear the stories of those individuals who have been tasked with administering care to those children who are separated from their parents. We need to hear the stories of women who have made a thoughtful decision to abort a baby after a rape, as well as the stories of the women who had the right to choose to deliver a child who would be given up for adoption.
Why is it that we are so willing to listen to the stories of the young soccer players who have bee trapped in a cave in Thailand for weeks, but we will not take the time to talk to someone with a political view that is different from our own? In a time when the shouts are louder than anyone can imagine, it should come as no surprise that there are also many workplace confrontations that occur. In some of these workplace situations, the problems become so serious that there is a need for workplace mediation to find a working solution to workplace conflict.
As a result, there is a growing need for the training that is required to help both sides of an issue effectively tell their stories. With the use of Enneagram training and other narrative training methods, individuals, couples, bosses, and employees are finding a better way to communicate. The relational model that is used for Enneagram training is a powerful tool for personal, and collective communication. The word itself comes from the Greek words ennea, meaning nine, and grammos, meaning a written symbol.
From employment disputes to divorce remediation, teaching people how to effectively tell their stories can be a complicated process. The fact that as many as 60% of employees never received basic conflict management classes or lessons is just one indicator of the problems that many companies face. When these workers have received the necessary training, as many as 95% state that the training helped them navigate workplace conflict positively and seek outcomes that are mutually beneficial. Whether you select Enneagram training or another approach, it will always be important to allow people to hear both sides of a story.
