Family Values & Family Stories
There is a wonderful WSJ article on families attempting to preserve their values through mission statements. What would really supercharge these mission statements is stories. As most of you probably know, I write for Stories that Celebrate. It should be no surprise, that all of our stories start with a mission statement. That statement could be dedication to preserving the chain of tradition, a desire to overcome challenges, the empowerment of others, the centrality of service, the integration of reason and emotion or… lots and lots of other possibilities.
Whether it is derived from interviews or provided by another consultant, once we have the mission statement in hand, we craft a story that celebrates it. The story could be entirely fictional or it could take a real event and use it as a building block for the values of a lifetime (we also offer word-based physical art).
Because stories are so effective at conveying meaning across generations, Stories that Celebrate are a powerful augmentation to any effort to cement a family legacy.
Of course, commissioning a Story that Celebrates doesn’t require generational wealth. We believe that many individuals and families are extraordinary and deserve to have their values celebrated. We even offer discount or free packages for those who can not pay. One of our stories - quite a difficult one, actually - celebrates the hopes of a homeless man who was killed in a terrorist attack. It was, of course, completely free.
If you are trying to establish or extend your legacy, or to further cement the values of your family, consider commissioning a story from Stories that Celebrate.