The Untold Story

There’s been a great deal written in recent years about the power of storytelling. Most of it in terms of how great stories can help us connect with our audiences or more clearly illustrate our point.  But as we begin a new year, I believe we should be mindful of the stories that are untold as well.

I’ve found myself looking at people through a different lens lately.  For every person I see, I try to imagine for a moment what brought them to live where they do. How they chose their job or whether their job chose them. I think about the influences in their lives (the stories) that have shaped how they view the world. I realize I know nothing about who they are.

Compound that with not knowing what may have happened in their lives on a particular day – events that may cause them to be either jovial, indifferent, or angry at the world. And in fairness, those people do not understand what’s happening in my world either. These powerful, untold stories impact our interactions with everyone we meet, each and every day.

What does any of this have to do with leadership or small business?  Well, a great deal actually. If by realizing the power of the untold story, we can show a bit more patience with one another, then we’ll be the richer for it. Before reacting impatiently or responding negatively to what you may be misinterpreting, take a moment to consider what you may not understand.

The Chinese word for patience is phonetically pronounced REN.  It’s expressed with a combination of two characters: the blade of the knife and the heart, symbolizing how difficult it can be to demonstrate true patience.  It’s among my resolutions for the coming year.   Consider how this may be relevant to you, your life, or your business and share your story with us.

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