"For over a decade, I have been experimenting with formats for inviting participants in communities of small groups to hear into speech listone another's stories. I have found that the 4, 4, 4 process provides safety, ease, and accessibility for groups of all ages and backgrounds.
What is the 4, 4, 4 Storytelling Process?
"Telling: The focus person shares her or his story in response to one of the questions featured in this book. | Up to 4 minutes
"Responding: Listeners take turns contributing their responses to the story | Up to 4 minutes
"Retelling: The focus person describes what s/he is discovering about her or his story | Up to 4 minutes
"Pausing: Participants share time in silence to honor what has been shared | Up to 1 minute
"It is a highly structured process, and it is the structure that cultivates safety, freedom, and ease. Each person has the same amount of time to speak without cross talk, receive others' responses, and re-tell their story in light of others' responses. Allocating the same amount of time for every participant alleviates the concern that some participants may dominate the conversation while leaving others with little to no time to share their own story.
"Another reason the 4, 4, 4 format has proven so powerful is it immediately requires the storyteller to be selective in what they tell. Having a clear time limit to which all persons will be held accountable to increases the likelihood that participants will speak more mindfully (and they do!). While having such a limited time may initially increase the storyteller's anxiety, that anxiety can be addressed by allocating time for participants to reflect in writing together before they share as a group or giving them the narrative prompt before their next meeting."
