I WAS invited by one of the student programs in Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan called Ateneo School of Upcoming Leaders or ASUL. This is an organization that aims to build the potentials of student leaders as they serve in various programs and initiatives of the said University.
I was asked to talk about the role of student leaders as storytellers.
After being invited in various leadership camps, it was my first time to be given such a topic, which led me into consulting some literature that would help me gain some insights for me to share. To my surprise, I was amazed with a rich literature available for the said topic ranging from business, political, and even organizational leadership perspective.
These readings made me realize that as leaders are called to inspire, encourage and motivate people or groups of people to act, storytelling becomes a medium that leaders use to positively stir the emotions of a person or a group thereby empowering them to concretely decide and act accordingly.
However, reflecting on the multitude of voices in our current societal landscape, I am moved to question the quality of storytelling that leaders have, not just those in politics, but in the various sectors in our community. Many of us might agree with the idea that the current stories we hear and experience lack the inspiration, denies the many truths of others, and fails to empower the marginalized. Storytelling now becomes a tool to forward manipulative desires of the few at the expense of others' welfare.
As a result, the current times and this generation has failed to acknowledge the many positive and beautiful realities around us. We have been selective of truths that we wish to listen to making us biased as we sensationalized the truth we wish to lean on. We have made this youth feel entitled of their own stories without utter regard and openness of others' account.
Thus, as everyone has the potential to be leaders and more than being storytellers, I hope we would realize that we do not necessarily need to be the ones to tell the stories all the time. There are more stories out there that are more riveting and empowering. All these stories need is a leader who would nurture them and see these narratives beyond oneself.