Stories at Work

"This book will surprise and delight its readers, who will likely find their own stories rushing to mind alongside Terrence Gargiulo's." -- Annette Simmons, President of Group Process Consulting, author of The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling "Terrence Gargiulo has written a most powerful book about life and work. He is our tribal elder, sharing valuable wisdom, lessons learned, and how-to's--all woven into stories. We cannot manage without understanding people, and we cannot teach, engage, or empower without stories. Gargiulo gives us the gift of insight through stories, the power to think through stories, and the courage to connect through stories. Stories at Work is a tool for the ages--a tool for all of us who must compete on clarity." -- Bill Jensen, CEO of The Jensen Group, author of Simplicity and What Is Your Life's Work? "Applying the insights and practices of Stories at Work will open the gate to some of your most noble aspirations: to be the hero of your own life story, the trusted ally of your colleagues at work, and a compassionate listener for all beings who inhabit the earth." -- Barry Rosen, Board Director and Past President Interaction Associates, author, Facilitative Leadership: Tapping the Power of Participation "This book is a practical guide that helps us to more actively listen to the stories of others and to better tell our own stories. Terrence Gargiulo presents exercises that facilitators and teachers can use to help themselves and others gain self-awareness in the act of storytelling. And this is a critical exercise, as gaining access to our stories allows us to understand the lives we are choosing to live, and helps clarify our relationship to those lives." -- David M. Boje, Professor of Management^LNew Mexico State Universtiy, Editor, Tamara Journal

and leverage their stories in a variety of settings to enhance their communication skills and develop dynamic relationships.

Gargiulo defines several key functions of stories, including empowering the speaker, negotiating our differences, and promoting healing, illustrated through dozens of colorful examples.

Terrence Gargiulo boldly states: If a picture is worth a thousand words, a story is worth a thousand pictures. One of the most ancient forms of communication, storytelling is now being recognized as a powerful tool in business and other facets of life. Gargiulo argues that stories are fundamental to the way we communicate, learn, and think; they are the most efficient way to store, retrieve, and convey information. In Stories at Work, he demystifies how and why stories are so effective, and demonstrates how stories can be applied in organizations and our personal lives to influence behavior, persuade, entertain, solve problems, effect change, generate creativity, and promote shared understanding. In the process, he shows readers how to: discover their wealth of personal experiences; transform their experiences into re-usable stories; and leverage their stories in a variety of settings to enhance their communication skills and develop dynamic relationships. Gargiulo defines several key functions of stories, including empowering the speaker, negotiating our differences, and promoting healing, illustrated through dozens of colorful examples. Step-by-step exercises and instructions provide readers with the tools to: discover their wealth of personal experiences; transform their experiences into re-usable stories; develop an indexing scheme for retrieving stories; and leverage stories in a variety of settings. Ultimately, Stories at Work offers readers the opportunity to develop a repertoire of stories to enhance their communication skills and develop dynamic, productive, and effective relationships.