Extract from interview with Abigayle Carmody, Donna Cole - Last Say Communications

What is narrative matters?
narrative matters is a communications company dedicated to helping people communicate more confidently and effectively with others, particularly in situations where learning, change and inspiration are needed and ideas and information are being conveyed. We’re committed to putting life back into communication and moving away from corporate speak.

We specialise in the use of storytelling as a powerful communication tool. We also provide a range of services that essentially help people to communicate effectively with groups and in front of audiences. We have a real passion for storytelling and our work aims to evoke that enthusiasm in others. People love a good story; it’s such a natural, intuitive and engaging form of human communication. Stories define who we are, where we’ve come from and where we’re heading. Stories teach us, guide us and inspire us. They help us to understand one another and the world we live in.

Sadly, despite communication being the main activity in our work, many people have lost the art listening, engaging others and telling stories. But if you really want people to be inspired by and remember what you’re communicating, then you need to know how to tell a story well, be clear about what you’re saying and communicate with conviction. Our programs in training, facilitation and presentation skills focus on building confidence and communicating with clarity. All this adds up to helping people become more effective and dynamic communicators.

How did narrative matters come about?
After 15 years in the human communications profession I took some time out. Previously I had facilitated programs in leadership, training and cross-cultural communication. I’ve worked with executives and frontline managers in the public and private sector, provided cultural and business briefings for international executives and co-ordinated and facilitated national and international training programs for businesses and non-government organsisations.

But I felt there was something missing in professional communication. It was about the time Don Watson’s book; Death Sentence, The Decay of Public Language was published. He articulated exactly what I had been feeling about the increasing lifelessness of language and the pitfalls of corporate speak.

I went on a quest to find a better way of working in my field and also to contribute something new, fresh and innovative in the human communications field. I found I was drawn back to where I started; literature and writing, in other words, the story. I have a degree is a Bachelor of Arts in literature and writing and a post-graduate degree in communication and culture.

My quest took me even further back to my cultural heritage and I went to Ireland to interview Seanchies (Ireland’s traditional storytellers). They reaffirmed the universality of storytelling as well as the great humour and humanity of stories, of how the of telling stories is an extension of a good conversation where the listener is invited into your story. My grandmother was a fantastic storyteller and she really gave me a passion for stories. It has, in a sense, been a lifelong process.

While I wanted to specialise in storytelling I also wanted to continue my work in the training and facilitation area and to helping people communicate confidently in front of groups whether they are training, presenting, facilitating or leading. I’ve always enjoyed this work and the whole concept of narrative matters is now integrated into this area. Well, all this came together; my love for and knowledge of story, my formal studies, my extensive experience in human communications, my commitment to helping people communicate effectively, my cultural heritage and it all became narrative matters.