our take on stories

Organizations, like families, are rarely straightforward. Stories can provide insights that are both deep and easy to grasp.

Stories are a wonderful way of painting a picture of an organization, letting people know what makes it special and what makes it tick. They can also provide the means of raising and talking about uncomfortable issues.

But it’s important that stories don’t over-simplify. In an organizational setting, the stories that work have these characteristics:

• They are true - they tell it like it is.
• They describe revealing details, moments of truth as well as heroic acts.
• They come from many places and represent multiple perspectives.
• They challenge the listener by raising questions rather than just providing easy answers.
• They acknowledge difficult issues.

Organizations usually start out with a real sense of purpose, a clear story they can tell with conviction. But as they grow and become more complex, what was once clear starts to become opaque.

It’s a bit like the way a windscreen can mist up and it has similar results. As visibility gets worse, you slow down and even then you’re likely to lose your way or have an accident.

photograph by jypsygen