Flourishing Stories - a proposed approach to capture different perspectives of inspiration, excellence and innovation at City of Glasgow College.

Why Stories?

• People are able to provide rich answers to questions seeking “data” about success in their own “systems” (work, groups, organisations, etc.).
• Information that comes through personal narratives and stories is generally richer, and more accurate, than merely listing numbers, for example.
• Through stories, strengths, values, and resources emerge, but more naturally. Most people in most cultures are also comfortable with stories – story telling is part of most cultures.
• The very act of asking and answering questions begins to shift the system in the direction of the questions being asked – our questions can be “fateful”.
• Collective surfacing of memory invites multiple forms or innovation, not necessary possible with more linear thinking.
• Stories have depth and breadth that allows more to be conveyed than just a list of numbers or statistical achievements.
• Stories engage the imagination in ways analytical discussions cannot.
• Telling and listening to stories stimulates excitement and delight!