[January 28, 2022] You advance the human spirit when telling a story. Telling stories of heroes is a skill that is a must-have. Stores have been told since humans walked in the wild long long ago. Stories help us know who we are and where we are going.
One such story has long been part of my family’s folklore. Color Bearer Sergeant Satterfield stepped out with his division on the afternoon of July 3rd, 1863, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Before the day was over, nearly every man in his unit was dead or dying on the battlefield. By sheer luck, he lived. Civil War Sergeant Satterfield was our family’s hero.1
Stories of heroes, like so many that rise to the top and become famous, resonate every time they are told. There is something about those heroes, something that is hard to put our finger on but draws our attention and makes us sit up and take notice. We are drawn to them because we see ourselves reflected in them. Through these stories, we understand others and ourselves better.
The best stories are universal; they resonate across cultures and across time. They educate us on our morality, shape our perspectives, understand others, teach us to act wisely, and comprehend our world. Without such stories, we are not really human.
It should come as no surprise that the bestselling book in the world today is the Bible. The Bible is a series of stories end to end. These stories came about in the days before the written word and bubbled up as the most useful and explanatory. Meta-stories, as they are often called, are those stories that compete with others and survive the long road of history.
Lessons are taught through stories; the method ancient civilizations passed along lessons of the past. Those lessons do not change, even when the story changes.
One of the more common hero stories is St. George and the dragon. The story is vital for those of us who study leadership because it gives insight into those attributes that define great leadership; courage, selflessness, steadfastness, and trust, to name a few.2 St. George is the first story I remember and can still remember since I was a boy ready to go to school.
Stories of heroes must be told. They anchor us to our culture and other people just like us. Learn those stories and learn to tell them.
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- I know only about Sergeant Satterfield from family stories, those passed down through those that came after. I found out that he did survive and had several children, including my great-grandfather and that he was prosperous in farming. Family stories are essential and likewise are not easily dismissed.
- https://www.theleadermaker.com/leadership-st-george-and-the-dragon/
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Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” at Amazon (link here).
If you cannot tell a good story ‘ with feeling ‘ then you are no leader or good person. 🇯🇵
Learn how, practice (and more practice), be willing to sound dumb or clumsy. Be the jester in the king’s court. You will – after much discipline doing what is right – you will have more freedom than you could ever imagine.
Excellent point. If you listen to the best orators, you will note they tell stories of great heroes. Great website for an easy, early morning read. 🇮🇹
You can, indeed learn from others …. pay attention to those who are the most successful and try to figure out why they are. The solution will come to you. Give it time. Think. Work to understand that being great or good is not easy but difficult.
Good leaders learn quickly to tell the stories of heroes and also can explain WHY we have heroes. To do so, is imperative to be a great leader (not just a good leader). True, HOW you tell the story is important, but more crucial is the story itself and how it appeals to the average person. I learned how from my father how to tell tales of bravery. Learn it as well.
Good point, Army Captain.
Yes, I agree with Gen. Satterfield that we should pattern our behavior after those who in the past were the ones who we are most attracted to. That pattern has survived for a reason; which we don’t need to understand. It works. Period. copy it.
Good enough reason for me, Ernest.
Right, a meta-story.
Thanks General Satterfield for another article for my collection.
Nailed it, Gen. S. Keep these articles coming our way. I’ve been a fan of your leadership blog for a long time.
Me too, jeff. Always great to get on and read the articles by Gen. Satterfield and also the forum comments on his articles. makes for a good day.
Classic blog post once again from a true leader, Gen. Satterfield. If you want to wake up to reality, then read this post. You will be educated in the way to think, not what to think (like the leftist lock step approach of too many).
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Hi Patriot in Texas. I agree with you. Good to see you on Gen. Satterfield’s leadership blog.
Gen. Satterfield writes, “Lessons are taught through stories; the method ancient civilizations passed along lessons of the past. Those lessons do not change, even when the story changes.” Nothing more right than what he says here.
Useful advice for all of us. If you are a young person, this is one of those times to pay close attention. Search out stories of heroes today and ancient times (better old ones) and be prepared to tell them in an exciting way. This ability will benefit you forever in your life.
Well said, boy sue. A great bit of advice for us all.
“Greek Monsters | Tales of Heroes’ & Gods’ Fearsome Enemies.”
https://travelnhistory.com/legends/greek-monsters/
A great starting point on ancient stories of heroes. Gen. Satterfield has started us out here. Stand with him and read these and be ready to tell these stories to others. Our formal education system today considers these stories “racists” or something stupid but that is, obviously, untrue. Read and tell stories of heroes.
In ancient Greek myths, mythological creatures exist in the past, during the age when gods walked on the earth. The Greeks did not believe that monsters were still among them, rather that this more magical time existed far in humanity’s past. This sense that magic once existed but no longer does is common to many cultures all over the world.
You got that right. We all should have these in our hip pocket, ready to pull out and tell any time.
Be ready, always to tell the tale of a great hero.
Great article this morning for us, Gen. Satterfield. Thanks. I don’t make a comment often but I am an avid reader of your leadership blog. I also ordered your new book. It’s not in yet, but my neighbor convinced me to order it. I look forward to reading it. ✔
You won’t be disappointed. Good to see you back on this forum, Gilley.
Ahhhh, typical Gen. Satterfield, giving us something important to troll our brains with and push us to think. Well done! Even now, I’ve learned to tell stories of heroes to my kids and they love the stories so much they make me re-tell them.
Great stories of heroes like St. George.
ST GEORGE AND THE DRAGON: THE WHOLE STORY
https://dragon.university/legends/saint-george-and-the-dragon/
This is a classic. I wonder what the story was before this one? I’m sure it followed the same format. Maybe not a dragon but something similar. Look at all the modern stories, that are so similar. This pattern makes it a meta-story (to use Gen. Satterfield’s term) . Yep, meta-stories are often about heroes slaying the symbolic dragon.
Here are a few more: Stories of Heroes for bedtime stories for kids.
https://www.storyberries.com/category/heroes/
Great. Good that the Internet has these. Thx to those who put them out for free. 🍀
A classic! Enjoyed the articles in your Daily Favorites too.