Story + PD: The story we tell ourselves about ourselves

Part of a series at the intersection of Storytelling and Product Development.

Story is a psychological mechanism for encoding memories, making meaning, forming identity, and shaping behavior. The story we tell ourselves,  about who we are, where we came from, and where we’re heading, can affect our moods, our motivation, and choices we make. Jonathan Adler (the psychologist, not the designer) spoke on the Hidden Brain podcast episode “Healing 2.0: Change Your Story, Change Your Life”) about his findings (building on those of his scientific collaborator Dan McAdams.) He spoke of Contamination, Redemption, and Integration narratives. The upshot is that mental health, resilience, and performance are not just correlated but affected by the type of stories a person constructs for themselves following adversity. 

Do they tell a story of their life permanently contaminated by this adversity? For example:

“My life was ruined by my diagnosis and despite physical recovery it’s still raw years later.” 

Do they find that life returns or improves, where they and their adversity is redeemed?

“My diagnosis was a hard blow, but after treatment, I feel ready for anything” 

Do they tell their story integrating the adversity in a way that allows them a degree of peace and resolution, despite remaining adversely affected? 

“My treatment failed and I had to lose an arm, now I’ve learned to use a prosthetic.” 

It follows then that how product development teams shape their own stories, and their story of the team’s journey through a PD process, will be a factor in their success, both in outcomes and in their experience. We never want to stay stuck in adversity. 

“Our project was canceled, and I’ll always resent the people who wrecked my career”

“Our project was canceled, but it freed me up for another, better opportunity”

“Our project was canceled, which hurts, but helping other people who had similar setbacks gives me purpose”

The story we tell in the face of adversity propagates to our teammates and stakeholders, and subsequently filters what else we take in. If we adhere to a Contamination narrative, it limits our sense of possibility. When we are open to a Redemption or Integration narrative, we will see the people, resources, and opportunities around us and make the effort to keep writing our story.