Public Narrative (Self / Us / Now)

Mobilization Skills Inner Compass Courage Communication Skills

Depth · what it can open●●●○3 — emotional

Holding · facilitation2 — facilitator

Trust · group readiness★★some

Disclosure · what is sharedrequired

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

Hold with care

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: 1–30 · 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

Origin & where it lives

Marshall Ganz (Harvard Kennedy School) — Community organizing; taught worldwide in organizing and leadership programs

Instructions: open online

In this directory via Step Up! A Pocket Guide to Social Change for Young Leaders

status: checked · added 2026-08-25