~ The Art of Storytelling ~

When she was a young woman, my grandmother chose a teaching assignment in a pioneer's program off the coast of Cuba. Over a hundred years ago, this brave soul left Florida to travel by freighter to the Isles of Pines. There she joined a group of twenty or so Michigan families and native islanders who had requested a teacher. Grandma  presided over a one-room schoolhouse. Students ranged in age from six to sixteen so flexible planning, field trips, and a personal touch became Grandma’s stock and trade. With such tools, Grandma could have been a successful REALTOR®. (I’m smiling.) But what set Grandma apart, and what I believe sets many of us here apart, was Grandma's art of storytelling...

Take for example her personal adventures with Clyde, the Obstreperous Mule.

Each morning Grandma's mule refused to let her ride through the palmettos to school. So this determined lady followed along on foot, to be foiled time and time again as she tried to catch up with him and he dashed ahead then slowed down…. Grandma chuckled as she told how Old Clyde grinned and snorted and looked backward over his shoulder.. the entire half-mile down the sandy path to the schoolhouse … where, as usual,  an odd assortment of kids and islanders joyfully waited to see the sight of a lady in a long dress, hat askew, arriving ... slightly annoyed, yet ready for that next attempt. Sounds like a parallel to a few of my experiences as a real estate professional....How about you?

There were a hundred such tales Grandma administered. These kind remedies created a space for those in her sphere of influence to open up their hearts and laugh out loud. The resulting emotional safe-haven set the stage for her students to make wise choices. .. a final outcome most REALTORS® certainly can appreciate.  

I like to think that we have the option, through our stories, to discover more of who we and our clients are inside, and what is most important to us and to them. Our stories are treasures that help us to do well in our transactions while also making a special contribution to positive outcomes.. .for the benefit of all parties...now, and a hundred years from now.

Copyright © 2006 All Rights Reserved  Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina

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