We human beings are storytellers by nature. So it is not
surprising that because organizations are composed of humans,
organizations have many, many stories to tell. When shared
among members and non-members alike, these stories help
reinforce desired behaviors, sustain member and stakeholder
expectations, or uplift and inspire. They also do the inverse, such
as warning members about what is undesired.25 The result is that
members learn what it means to be a member.
But what about the organization itself? Does it have a story?
The answer is clearly yes, as people routinely take words and
actions by members and characterize the organization as the
actor. What the U.S. Army says and does differs from what any
individual member (even the Army’s Chief of Staff) says or does.
We celebrate the organization’s birthdays and anniversaries, great
moments, crises and recoveries, and other milestones; or we
pillory the organization for its bureaucracy or various missteps
and scandals. And so, like a person, an organization has a history.
But, is there only one story of the organization or is it many?
I argue there is only one, and I will use the history of an American
football team to demonstrate.
Straight up... ef em and their narrative
i'd admit 911 was done by aliens but i will not accept a single word that comes out of their dirty war narrative.