Public administrators as storytellers: Nurturing narrative competence to enrich their professional identity

Abstract

There is growing interest in the potential of storytelling and narrative in public communication, engagement, and connection with stakeholders. Nurturing narrative competence and storytelling capacity in future public administrators will enable them to effectively utilize this essential skill in the practice of public administration. This paper discusses the relevance of storytelling and narrative in public administration, builds the metaphor of public administrator as storyteller, using professional identity theory and sensemaking as conceptual foundations, and offers ideas curated from the literature on how to build narrative competence and capacity. Theoretical, practical, and pedagogical implications for public administrator as storyteller are considered.

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