Your Story Matters
December is a month for storytelling! Stories are part of religious, cultural, and social celebrations. But long before these holiday celebrations dominated modern life, there was the seasonal observance of the winter solstice. In the northern hemisphere, December 21 is the shortest day and longest night of the year. It’s cold and dark. And despite all external cues to ignore it, something deep inside me wants to settle in by the fire and share stories while we wait for the light to return.
Indigenous traditions like those of the Ojibwe use winter storytelling to entertain, educate, and build communal bonds during long, cold nights. The stories, often told around fires, are deeply connected to themes of survival, interconnectedness, and renewal, mirroring the cycle of seasons and human experience.
What if we merged the storytelling tradition with workplace growth in mutual mentorships? Unlike traditional mentoring, where a senior employee guides a junior one, mutual mentoring encourages reciprocal encouragement. Mutual mentoring holds three main hallmarks:
Both people exchange knowledge: Younger employees share insights on things like emerging technologies while veterans provide wisdom and leadership.
An emphasis is on mutual development over hierarchy, ensuring both people feel valued and contribute to a culture of innovation.
Leaders are nurtured by reinforcing that everyone has something to teach and to learn.
Pixar’s mutual mentoring is a great example of the transformative power of storytelling. Pete Docter, Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer, illustrates vulnerability by candidly sharing his creative struggles during the production of Inside Out with emerging filmmakers. His openness fosters transparency, strengthens connections between mentors and mentees, and shows how vulnerability builds trust.
Personal storytelling builds relationships, and both mentors and mentees create a reciprocal learning environment, encouraging collaboration and a shared sense of purpose. How does it work? Here are some easy ways to get started. (Bonus points if you find a fireplace you can sit at!)
Tell me about a historical or cultural event that shaped your generation and how it influenced your outlook.
What’s a song, book, or movie that had a big impact on you, and why?
If you could title your life story so far, what would it be, and why?
Imagine we switched places for a day. What would you teach me, and what would I teach you?"
If we wrote a book together about our shared journey, what would the first chapter be about?
What do you imagine you would learn about your mentor—and yourself—if you sat down without an agenda and just shared stories? What might you create together that has never existed before?
The universal power of storytelling fosters understanding, connection, and growth in any setting—be it ancient solstice celebrations or modern mentoring relationships.
This is how generational wisdom is shared.
Wishing you the happiest of holidays!
More Soon,
Mary