The story-driven organization

The old metaphors for business—war, science, the machine—are distancing and constrain an organization's ability to envision possibilities for action. Understanding motivation and behavior in terms of story—character, objective, and conflict—enables leaders to better engage both the minds and hearts of employees and manage change. The authors explain the elements of story and present six guidelines for tapping its power. Applications include connecting employees to the organization's mission; understanding and managing the cultural implications of system and process change; and marshalling the tension inherent in conflicting objectives, such as product performance and environmental stewardship, as a source of energy and innovation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.