Participants will explore how to use storytelling in planning and preparedness contexts, where they
have the greatest opportunity to influence decisions, priorities, and coordination before an event
occurs.

In these environments, storytelling serves as a strategic communication tool that helps decisionmakers
understand what matters, what is at risk, and what actions are needed. Participants will learn
how to use stories grounded in real events to make their recommendations clearer, more concrete,
and easier to act on.

Participants will develop practical skills for using storytelling as a tool they can apply immediately in
their day-to-day work. This session focuses on using storytelling to ensure recommendations are
understood in time to shape what happens next.

Pre-Work
To maximize the relevance and application of the session, participants will be asked to come
prepared with a brief description of a real situation from their work that can be developed into a
story.
Participants should think about a specific real event or situation that took place in which NCDHHS
Public Health Preparedness and Response (PHP&R) was involved, such as a severe weather event,
public health emergency, preparedness exercise, or coordination effort, and focus on how planning
or coordination influenced what did or did not happen as a result.
Participants should answer the following questions:
• Where did the event or situation happen? (be specific)
• When did the event or situation happen? (be specific)
• What happened? (be specific)
• Who was impacted? (be specific)
• How were the impacted individuals impacted? (be specific)
• How was PHP&R involved in planning and preparedness in anticipation of an event like this
one? (be specific)
• How effective was PHP&R’s planning and preparedness in anticipation of an event like this
one? (be specific)
• What lesson(s) do you take away from your responses to the questions? (be specific)