Spreading Your Vision Through Storytelling

I believe that Jasmine Cho's vision fits Nanus' definition while her work aligns with Joe Sabia's observation of storytelling's evolution. First, reflecting on Nanus.

Cho married the "thing that made her feel most alive", baking cookies, with her pain point of being an unseen Asian American. After beginning her career, she ultimately discovered and pursued an idealist vision for America, serving those with a shared ancestorial background who, too, felt unseen. This aligns closely with Nanus' 1992 definition of vision.

Reflecting on potential core values, I believe the following drive Cho's passion:

Creative: Views cookies as "editable blank canvases" and coined the phrase "make any topic more palatable." It takes a creative mind to use this creative language, view cookies as a canvas, and, of course, create beautiful face art on cookies.

Respect: First Korean's that came to America worked on Hawaii's sugar plantations. She's honoring her heritage by selling a sugar-based product.

Sharing: Not only is she sharing her beautiful and (assumed) delicious cookies. She shares her culture (highlighting Asian historical figures) and heritage (ancestors that worked on sugar plantations).

Empowerment: What pierced through in Cho's storytelling was that she felt invisible. She's taking action and being the change that she wants to see in the world. Advocating for more representation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders within our country. "Privilege is when your history is taught as core curriculum, while mine is taught as an elective." Cho is sharing her ancestor's history in a new evolution of storytelling. The modality is a cookie. Joe Sabia would be proud and say she caught a case of "Meggendorfer-itis."

Based on:

Burt Nanus' Definition of "Vision," detailed in his book "Visionary Leadership" (1992)

Jasmine Cho's TEDx Pittsburgh Talk, "How I Use Cookies to Teach History" (June 2019)

Joe Sabia's TED Full Spectrum Auditions Talk, "The Technology of Storytelling" (May 2011)

Posted on 2/2/2021