"In coaching clients, and in my own life, I have found writing personal myths to be a powerful means of gaining insight on life experiences. If a client is going through a difficult situation and is struggling to make sense of what is happening, I may ask them to write a personal myth about the situation. I ask them to create characters and a story that illustrate what they are going through. Through the process of writing a personal myth, they gain a new perspective on the situation. They take a step back and can see the experience more clearly. Personal myths are a powerful tool.

Power Stories were born of my involvement with personal myths. They are stories, grounded in real-life, with fictional characters. They focus on workplace experiences and struggles. My intention is to take you a step away so that you can gain fresh perspectives on the challenges we all face in the workplace."
- Ann Vanino

panel

Moving Individuals and Organizations to Excellence

"POWER STORIES"

Mythical Tales of Personal Power at Work

By Ann Vanino

Power Stories book cover

Table of Contents

Jane and the Apple Tree

Tommy and the Dragon

Michael and the Flying Horse

Priscilla’s Gift

Joni’s Forest

George and the Triangle Harness

tommy color

Power Stories are intended to amuse you. They can also teach you. Many of you deal every day with the ups and downs of the work world. Surviving these ups and downs is easier when you look through the lens of personal power at work. What is that lens? It is when you see your work world as a cast of characters and situations specially designed to challenge you and to help you learn and grow.

Power Stories are filled with characters and situations you very well may recognize. Enjoy them. Learn from them. And most importantly, use them to understand how power in the workplace operates. Let me know what you think of these Power Stories. Send me your Power Stories. I look forward to hearing from you!

TOMMY AND THE DRAGON

[EXCERPT]
Tommy hears the shrill ring of his alarm and pulls the covers over his head. He slowly gets out of bed and into the shower. As he walks downstairs, tie in hand, he hears his wife and children laughing at his youngest son's newest joke. He smiles. He wouldn't mind staying home and enjoying his family. He dreads the day that is before him. It wasn't always this way. He loved his job when he started out, but now the stress of working for a government agency, frequently criticized and always under-funded, has taken away the joy in his work.

The job has taken a toll on Tommy. He works long hours, has gained weight and deals with physical ailments resulting from stress. He gets cranky with his family too often. His brain is going dull and his cynicism is building. What is he to do?...

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