The film-maker as storyteller: Katalina Groh

Storytelling Passport to the 21st Century

John Seely Brown, Steve Denning,
Katalina Groh, Larry Prusak:
Some of the world's leading thinkers explore the role of storytelling in the world

I Introduction to storytelling I John Seely Brown on science I Steve Denning on change I Katalina Groh on videoI
Larry Prusak on organization I Discussion I | Contact us | Bibliography on storytelling |


	Rule number six Ros Zander: What we’re trying to show people is that they can invent themselves, to understand that life is a story we tell. It’s an invention anyway. You can take it lightly. That’s part of Rule #6: not taking your needs and desires so seriously because you get in your own way with what you think you should have and your pride and all the things that have to do with your own survival. Rule #6 tells you: just not take that so seriously. Ben Zander: Two prime ministers sitting in a room, and suddenly the door bursts open, and a man came in and he was extremely upset and shouting and carrying on. The resident prime minister said, “Peter, Peter, please remember Rule #6.” And immediately Peter was restored to complete calm. And a young woman came in. She was hysterical. Hair was flying all over the place. Shouting and carrying on. He said, “Maria, please remember Rule #6!” And immediately

   Maria said, “Oh, I’m so sorry,” and she apologized and walked out.
   And then it happened a third time. You know how it always happens a third time.
   And the visiting prime minister said, “My dear colleague, I’ve seen three people come into the room in a state of uncontrollable fury, and they walked out completely calmly. Would you be willing to share this Rule #6, what that is?”
   And he said, “Oh yes, Rule #6, very simple. Don’t take yourself so damned seriously.”
   And so he said, “Oh, that’s a wonderful rule. What may I ask are the other rules?”
   And he says, “There aren’t any.”

Herbert von Karajan and Rule #6

Ben Zander: You know we conductors are not very good at Rule #6. Herbert von Karajan, a great conductor in Berlin, he finished a rehearsal and got into his limousine, and said, “Hurry! Go! Go! Go! Drive! Drive! Drive! Drive! Go! Go! Go!”
The man said, “Very good sir. Where to?”
Von Karajan said, “It doesn’t matter. They need me everywhere.”
Mats Lederhausen (Senior VP, Global Strategy, McDonalds Corporation): Great leaders are always sought after. And the messages that Ros and Ben are giving us are inspirational. They help at least me to get more energy, that yes! this is the right thing to do. They are trying to give you the keys to what you have inside of you that is unknown to you. But they are convinced is there. Both Ros and Ben. They do that brilliantly. And the good news is that they’re right.
It’s the end of the hunting season in human experience. For thousands of years, the source of strength, wealth, power, success, has been hunted for. It’s been dependent on land, borders. It’s been dependent on stuff we can touch. Well now, the sources of strength, wealth, power, can no longer be hunted for. They’re dependent on our intellect, our emotions, our creativity, our willingness to renew ourselves. It’s all about us.

Books and videos on storytelling
*** In Good Company : How Social Capital Makes Organizations Work
by Don Cohen, Laurence Prusak (February 2001) Harvard Business School Press
*** The Social Life of Information, by John Seely Brown, Paul Duguid
(February 2000) Harvard Business School Press
*** The Springboard : How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations
by Stephen Denning (October 2000) Butterworth-Heinemann
*** The Art of Possibility, a video with Ben and Ros Zander : Groh Publications (February 2001)


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