Have you ever noticed how the most compelling facilitators, teachers, and change-makers all seem to be good storytellers?
Not in a polished, performative way, but rather in a way that feels grounded and human. These people know how to tell their story. And they know how to invite others to tell theirs.
In futures work, we often lean heavily on frameworks, trends, and scenarios. These are useful. But they are not enough. Stories do something that no model can: make abstract futures felt,create empathy across difference, and help people locate themselves inside change.
Stories are one of the few human capacities that are truly universal. Across cultures and history, we’ve used them to make sense of uncertainty, transmit values, and imagine what comes next.
When a facilitator tells their story, the offer the groups insights into how their story shapes their identify and makes meaning. This humanises them, which is always helpful. Telling a story also models storytelling, and gives others permission to tell their stories. In doing this, a facilitator creates space for identity to be reclaimed, connect stories with meaning, and form connections between people in the group, their ideas, their values, and their hopes.
So the facilitator’s opening story isn’t a waste of time or a simple “ice-breaker”. It’s foundational and fundamental to a successful facilitated futures workshop or experience.