exercise · all tools
Public Narrative (Self / Us / Now)
Marshall Ganz's leadership storytelling craft: build a Story of Self (a choice point that shows why you are called), a Story of Us (shared values and experience of the community addressed), and a Story of Now (the urgent challenge and the hopeful, concrete ask) — then tell it, get coached, and tell it better. Mobilization through authentic narrative rather than argument.
Prerequisites
- The Story of Self works on a real choice point — tellers choose which one, and how deep
- Coaching a personal story is coaching the craft, never adjudicating the life — feedback goes to structure and specificity
- UNFPA's solo workbook form runs at depth 2 / holding 0; rated here for the told-and-coached group form
Practical
- Time
- 30-120 min + 30 landing
- Group
- 1–∞ · individual, small-group
- Settings
- in-person, online, self-guided
- Materials
- Worksheet (UNFPA pp. 58–67); in workshops, coaching rounds
- Mechanisms
- narrative-identity, values-clarification, behavioral-rehearsal
- Change scope
- state → skill · repeatable
Instructions
- Where
- unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Step_Up_A_Pocket_Guide_… — Step Up! A Pocket Guide to Social Change for Young Leaders, open
- Availability
- Open online — published at the link, free to read
Source link checked 29 Aug 2026 — unchanged since we recorded it on 28 Aug 2026
This directory describes and points home; the instructions stay with the people who made them.
Origin
Marshall Ganz (Harvard Kennedy School) — Community organizing; taught worldwide in organizing and leadership programs
In this directory via Step Up! A Pocket Guide to Social Change for Young Leaders
status: checked · added 2026-08-25