At the Indigenous and African Wisdom in Coaching Research: Beyond Borders conference in South Africa, I was reminded again of the power of storytelling.
For legal professionals, marketers, change leaders, influencers and senior leaders, this may not be new. But what stood out to me, as a coach, researcher and leader, was this question:
Who are we allowing to own and write our stories for us?
In education and research, we often talk about knowledge transfer through literature, and there is so much of it. However, if we look back across decades and centuries, particularly from non-Western perspectives, knowledge was also passed on through the communal art of storytelling.
I was reminded of this in a deeply personal way. Growing up in Nigeria as a young child for a few years, I remember spending time with family, sitting together across generations and beginning with, “Story, story… story!”
Those cherished moments were not just about passing time. They were about meaning, memory, belonging, legacy and connection.
At the Indigenous & African Wisdom in Coaching Research: Beyond Borders Conference, Executive Coach Sibongile Muwamba Chimimba invited us to sit in a circle and experience each other’s stories during her session on Umunthu: A Relational Way of Knowing, Being, and Becoming in Coaching. Powerful.
In that setting, it could have felt uncomfortable. Instead, it took me back to something familiar: looking each other in the eye, hearing each other, and simply being present.
A lot is going on across our geopolitical environments, and the way trauma is expressed cannot always be controlled.
However, there is something powerful about witnessing another person’s journey, whether in life, career or emotional growth. Being able to share our hopes, fears, dreams and aspirations for the future feels more important now than ever.
In a world shaped by so much change, this is something I believe we need more of, not less, both online and in person.
A key reflection I’m holding is this:
What stories would we like to write, and have told, about our time on this earth?
Wherever you are in your career or your journey, what story do you want to leave behind? And what story do you want to leave with those coming behind you?
As a Business Psychologist and Career Coach, that question sits at the core of my work for inclusive employability and transitions. I’m always thinking about how I can help others rebuild their professional identities, rewrite their own stories and truly see the best in themselves. This becomes more pertinent especially after years of conditioning and internalising stories they did not write, or that are simply not true.
When I think about Umunthu, I think about the powerful philosophies that continue to shape not only how I understand one-to-one behaviour change but also group and systemic change. I also think about the undeniable strength in witnessing that must occur if we are to navigate the future of work while maintaining our wellbeing.
Please continue to follow Black Voices in Coaching Research Conferences.
More reflections to come.
