Seth Kahan developed and shared this methodology. As he explains, Jumpstart Storytelling can: 

• Efficiently engage every participant in the business objectives
• Accelerate collaboration without compromising diverse perspectives
• Effectively introduce each person to 10-15 other participants
• Improve learning through high quality idea exchange.

For the purposes of the KS methods and tools workshop, Jumpstart Storytelling is introduced to:

• demonstrate an approach to experience exchange that is engaging and productive
• exchange ideas and approaches related to a shared content area of interest
• increase understandings of what makes a good story

• Session overview & getting organised - Plenary (10 mins)
• Jumpstart Storytelling Round 1 - Small groups (Between 8 - 10 mins)
• Jumpstart Storytelling Round 2 - Small groups (Between 8 - 10 mins)
• Jumpstart Storytelling Round 3 - Small groups (Between 8 - 10 mins) 
• The most meaningful story - Plenary (20 mins)
• Debrief - Plenary (15 mins)

Total time: 1 hr 15 mins (Note that this will vary depending on the number of participants and number of groups formed)

• Everyone has change stories stemming from their work
• Telling and listening to each other’s stories engages the hearts and minds of people and is a great way to involve everyone in the room, even if done very succinctly
• A method like Jumpstart Storytelling requires little preparation and is easy to do (it is also a great icebreaker to start a meeting)

Only standing room is needed

• Open space with no tables or chairs is ideal
• Bells/chimes
• Computer
• LCD projector
• Post-it notes
• Digital camera to video the most memorable stories
• Flipchart/markers to capture debrief discussion points 
• Stopwatch or second-hand watch for timing purposes

• Jumpstart storytelling slides

• Seth Kahan's introduction to Jumpstart Storytelling
• SDC Storytelling Guide (p.28)

• Seth Kahan
  
  

Materials/

Resources

Session overview & getting organised (Plenary)

• After outlining the objectives, explain how session will unfold i.e. each person will have an opportunity to talk about a time when they witnessed their work make a difference to project stakeholders. Each person will have 2 mins to tell their story in small groups. 
• Before organising into groups, invite participants to take 5 mins to reflect on their work and one story that best illustrates how their work helped bring about change. If they are having difficulty identifying of story, suggest that they think of a time when their work gave them a sense of accomplishment or pride. 
• Explain that you will help in tracking time during the storytelling rounds. After each 2 mins have elapsed, you will let them know that it is time to move onto the next storyteller. You will also remind them when the round is over and the next round begins. 
• Invite participants to form small groups

Jumpstart Storytelling Round 1 (Small groups)

• Once participants have arranged themselves into their group, begin the first round.  
• Signal (gently) the end of each 2 min interval as well as the end of the round
• Before moving into new groups, ask the participants to think about the stories they heard and the tellers who told them. Invite them to bring to mind the story that was the most memorable or had the most significant impact on them and to remember the teller. 
• Participants self-organise into new groups of with new faces. They may need to be reminded that group re-arrangements are needed to ensure that the newly formed groups have all new faces (avoiding having to retell the same stories to the same people)

Facilitation notes

• Put up the slides with the question and process (slides 1 and 2)
• Make sure to tell people they will only have time to share the essence of their experience but need to give enough background to explain why the work made them proud

Jumpstart storytelling slides

Bell/chimes and the stopwatch or timer

Jumpstart Storytelling Round 2 (Small groups)

• Same as Round 1

Facilitation notes

• Same as Round 1

Jumpstart storytelling slides

Bell/chimes and the stopwatch or timer

Jumpstart Storytelling Round 3 (Small groups)

• In a new group with as many new faces as possible, each person takes 2 min to re-tell the story told in the first and second rounds.

Facilitator notes

• It isn't a problem if they find themselves with a person they've been with before but if 3 or all 4 people have been together before, then try to organize the groups so they are as mixed as possible.
• Again, let them know when the 2 mins have elapsed so that the next person can start telling their story. 
• When the last round of stories is done, ask the participants to think again about the stories they heard and the tellers who told them. Invite them to bring to mind the story that was the most memorable or had the most significant impact on them and to remember the teller. 

Bell/chimes and the stopwatch or timer

The most meaningful story (Plenary)

• Hand out a post-it note or sticker to each participant
• Ask each person to recall the story that most impacted them from any of the 3 rounds, either because they found it meaningful. Write down the name of the person who told the story on a post-it note
• Tell them to find the person who told that story, stand next to them and give them the post-it or sticker (which they are free to stick on themselves or simply on in their hand)
• Ask those who received 1 or more post-its to raise their hand. Then ask those who received 2 or more to continue raising their hand. Then 3 until there is only 1 -3 people remaining. Invite these individuals to re-tell their stories to the plenary group.
• Feel free to  capture each of these stories on video.

Facilitation notes

• You can project the third slide from the Jumpstart storytelling PowerPoint on the overhead sreen
• Avoid suggesting that the stories receiving the most "votes" is better than the rest 
• Make sure that the storytellers are ok with having their change stories captured in video before filming them

Jumpstart storytelling slides

Digital camera

Debrief (Plenary)

• Invite participants to explain why they chose the story they did? What made them meaningful?
• Ask for any observations or reactions on the method "Jumpstart Storytelling". How might they use it in their work? 

Facilitation notes

• Use a flipchart to capture the bullet points from the plenary discussion (i.e. what made the stories meaningful). Alternatively, you can ask for a volunteer to capture the points, as you facilitate the discussion 
• Ask if there are any questions or points of clarification before bringing the session to a close