Sort of.  This is an article I wrote for our office’s monthly advising newsletter.  Still working away at that portfolio…

Advising Through Storytelling

Academic advising requires both the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel and the creativity of an artist’s brush stroke.  Just like a great musician, an advisor has to have “soul” as well as a firm grasp of theory.  While the technical aspects of advising can be taught, the creative side has to be developed.  Storytelling is a practice that can help develop even a seasoned advisor into an true artist.

Stories connect with people on an emotional and intellectual level and can help people make sense of complex situations in ways that other forms of communication cannot (Daft, 2005).  In a profession where effective communication is much more beneficial than efficient communication, a good story might find itself a place on an advisor’s shelf next to the general bulletin.

This does not mean advising sessions should turn into story-time.  Stories can be simple and as short as an analogy or metaphor.  The medical field can be used to explain the difference between faculty and academic advisors.  An academic advisor is like a general practitioner while a faculty advisor is like a specialist — both are well trained professionals, but the specialist focuses on a specific area (the major/career field) while the general practitioner has a broader focus (graduation/student development).  A student could use this analogy to remember which advisor a question should be presented to.  It could also be used to explain the benefits of a dual advising system.

Stories and analogies can also help to avoid stress.  Rather than becoming frustrated with students over an issue that has been explained multiple times, step back and recognize that there is an obvious misunderstanding.  Just as speaking louder rarely adds clarity in a situation involving a difference of languages, repeating the same information in the same manner will rarely result in the student understanding your point.  Instead, see this as an opportunity to be creative and draw on your own personal experiences and acquired knowledge to paint a better picture.

No analogy or story is perfect.  It should not substitute but rather supplement the idea or point you are trying to convey.  While storytelling can be a great tool in any advisor’s tool-box, sometimes facts, figures, and requirements just have to speak for themselves.

Daft, R. L. (2005). The leadership experience (pp. 364-365). Mason, OH: South-Western.