The Power of Optimism in Organizational Storytelling

Issue 174, August 22, 2024

We become the stories we tell as do organizations (companies, governments, non-profits and the like). The more we tell them and elaborate on the narrative, the more we believe them to be true and represent who we are in our purpose, relationships and how we use our energy mentally and physically.

These stories can become family legends, cultural origin stories, national histories, and an epic organizational tool.  Psychologist Jonathan Adler says that stories tend to become our identities, and we see ourselves as central actors in our own stories. “You tell the story first, and then you live your way into it,” he says. This behavior may explain the unbridled optimism of startups and entrepreneurs and the near-viral nature of some movements.

A Shift in Stories

But what causes the shifts that seem to permeate organizations as they age or adapt? What causes them to change from a positive shared purpose, aligned market orientation and a journey that embraces optimism