Building leadership capacity for complexity

Storytelling is a timeless art, but it can feel daunting when it comes to sharing your own. For starters, you may not be sure which story to tell or how to tell it. If you are a leader, you may worry about how to come across in a genuine and compelling way, while working through vulnerability. No matter what your circumstances are, there is a more authentic way to cultivate confidence in the storytelling process. This workshop uses the evidence-based method called guided autobiography and is led by a certified instructor, Gayathri Shukla, who published the bestselling anthology Landed using this method, and has supported thousands of others in both telling their story and learning to receive stories with empathy and compassion.

Note: This is a 60-90 minute entry-level workshop. For those who are looking to develop storytelling products (such as such as an outline of their story for a speech, publication, etc.), this session can be extended to half-day.

See examples of this workshop in action through workshops at Calgary Arts Development and Bishops University.

Our communities today are becoming increasingly diverse, globally connected, and socially conscious. The need to be seen, heard and valued is universal – and it requires you to learn how to create lasting, trusting relationships with your teams, becoming more self-aware of your strengths as well as triggers and biases. This workshop will help put you put into practices competencies to lead across borders, cultures, and styles of thinking and communication. It includes scenarios and lived experience storytelling to build your skills in effectively understanding and engaging with diverse viewpoints.

A custom workshop series on this topic was developed and delivered for many clients – see example team retreat at Sagesse.

Successful teams understand that in today’s increasingly diverse workplaces, a culture of trust is necessary to attract and retain top talent. Learning how to authentically communicate and listen to perspectives other than our own, is a critical skill. Yet, empathy is still an underrated skill. When it comes to sensitive topics of identity, like race or gender, many further fear what they say could compromise mutual respect. However, there is a way to deepen trust across diversity, and it’s through the timeless medium of stories. If you’re interested in an evidence-based learning process that goes beyond theoretical concepts, and helps you implement inclusive mindsets and behaviors, this is for you.

Note: This is an entry-level session and can be combined into a series with other workshops like Self-Empathy or Trauma-Informed Storytelling.

See example of workshop snippets from Alberta Teachers Association.

Times of high-stress can lead to emotional and mental burnout. It can feel elusive to stay true to our convictions while still driving results and maintaining important relationships. This workshop provides a safe space to take an intentional pause, and reflect on your experiences using a method of storytelling called guided autobiography, which encompasses self-reflection, deep listening, and sharing supportive feedback. This is a unique way of acknowledging one own’s strengths, while also being invited into the lives of others to find shared commonalities. Included as part of this workshop are thoughtfully-crafted practice scenarios, conversation prompts, and guided facilitation by Gayathri Shukla, a certified instructor in this method. Please note, prior writing experience is not necessary, and you may share only what you are comfortable within the group discussion. Come as you are to experience connection and community.

A tailored workshop on this theme was delivered for Junior League of Calgary.

This interactive session is designed for boards and leadership teams looking to strengthen their governance practices through psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and powerful storytelling.

Through practical strategies and real-world applications, participants will learn how to:

• Navigate power dynamics and bias in governance.
• Foster psychological safety to enhance collaboration and trust.
• Use storytelling as a leadership tool to strengthen engagement.
• Embed belonging into recruitment, onboarding, and board culture.
  
  

This session is ideal for boards, and executive teams, and will be customized to your specific strategic plan. Suggested duration is a half-day – 1-day workshop.

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing work environment, it is more important than ever to create a workplace culture where employees feel comfortable taking risks, sharing their ideas, and being vulnerable. This is where psychological safety comes in. In this workshop, we will explore the role of storytelling in cultivating psychological safety, and provide practical strategies for how to use storytelling to create a more inclusive and supportive work environment through hands-on practice scenarios. We will also explore barriers and fears such as oversharing in a trauma-informed context.

See this workshop in action through our workshop with Shell Canada.

In this immersive workshop, team members will use storytelling, poem crafting, and visual collage making to explore and express their individual perspectives and collective visions. This collaborative process not only fosters creativity but also strengthens team bonds through shared artistic creation and reflection. Ideal for teams seeking a unique way to enhance connectivity and foster a culture of inclusion and creativity. For teams who have recently formed and/or taking part in a strategic planning process, this creative, strengths-based approach will enable them to identify lived experiences where they witnessed their values in action and apply their learnings to shared priorities.

See this approach in action with the Trico Studio at MRU and a 3-day custom Metissage event at Suncor Energy Foundation.

Cultural humility goes beyond building awareness of different cultures. It is an active process that is cultivated through practices like self-reflection, deep listening, and continuous learning. This workshop will put these skills into action, drawing upon lived experience examples to foster a more inclusive environment. Alternatively, the session can also be suited as a celebration of cultural diversity in your team using engaging storytelling, while building understanding and appreciation of differences.

See this workshop in action with The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group.

An essential component to effective mentoring relationships, whether formal or informal, is trust, and storytelling is a powerful tool to foster trust in diverse settings. Diversity comes in the form of differences of any kind – gender, age, cultural background, as well as our professional or personal lived experiences. These differences, when leveraged positively, can result in a transformational and reciprocal relationship between a mentor and mentee. When trust is lacking, however, it can lead to feelings of not being seen for who we are, misguided advice, and a missed opportunity to cultivate a trusting relationship. This workshop is for participants to learn the essentials of empathy as a key enabler for trust, and practice skills in a safe space through mentoring-related scenarios. Included as part of this workshop are storytelling prompts and guided facilitation.

This series has been delivered for mentoring networks such as Influence Mentoring.

This workshop is dedicated to creating a supportive and courageous environment where participants can engage deeply with the principles of anti-racism. Beginning with an exploration of the fundamentals of anti-racism, attendees will be guided through reflective prompts that encourage them to examine their own lived experiences and understand the broader societal impacts of racial injustice. The session will provide practical strategies and guided discussions to cultivate allyship, empowering individuals to actively support anti-racism efforts in their personal and professional lives. 

A series of these workshops were delivered for several post-secondary institutions and school boards, including Calgary Board of Education and custom session on food justice with John Humphreys Center.

This workshop covers the basics of diversity concepts, such as identity, intersectionality, bias, and privilege. It sets the foundation for using storytelling to build empathy, while surfacing and interrupting bias.  This workshop is recommended as a starting point for anyone looking to ground or refresh their understanding in concepts. It includes a workbook for guided reflection activities, and can be taken in combination with the Art of Inclusive Leadership workshop and/or Allyship for Anti-Racism.

A series of these workshops were delivered for several youth groups and post-secondary institutions, including University of Toronto.

These workshops use storytelling and comic-making to help participants reflect on identity and belonging. Through guided prompts and accessible visual formats such as zines, participants move from reflection to creative expression in a supportive environment. This offering is ideal for schools, community groups, and organizations seeking a meaningful way to explore inclusion, voice, and lived experience beyond traditional training formats. 

See this approach in action through our story-to-comic workshop with Ladies in the Family Foundation.

Many EDI initiatives face implementation challenges, including difficulties in measuring impact, burnout, and the inability to influence leaders or engage majority stakeholders. This 90-minute workshop offers I&D leaders actionable insights on using storytelling strategically to advance their goals, influence cultural change, and capture impacts with a nuanced, qualitative approach. Guided activities will include a building out a personal action plan and strategy to embed belonging in the talent cycle, such as recruitment, onboarding and mentorship.

A previous example of this workshop theme was delivered with Imperial Oil in conjunction with their employee event, Harnessing People Power.

Mental health and wellness is a priority being tackled by many workplaces, and storytelling is an entry point into having courageous conversations. This workshop is a space to practice self-care and hone your skills in creating the conditions for community. This can also be used for year-end conversations to reflect on team successes and learnings, and acknowledge the person or experience that had a transformative impact.

A custom workshop series on this topic was developed and delivered for Sagesse.

Discover the art of personal branding in our Kindle Your Spark 5-part online course. You will be guided to express your narrative, and articulate your strengths and values through a set of journals and videos. Whether for career advancement or personal growth, you’ll learn how to communicate your story authentically so that it connects with your intended audience across various platforms. 

This session is ideal for anyone looking to stand out in a crowded market and align their professional image with their authentic self. This online course can be supplemented by a live workshop for a deeper strategy.