“All great literature is one of two stories; a [person] goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.” —Leo Tolstoy
Once upon a time, the change management company I worked for1 did an annual study called “The Challenge of Change,” in which we surveyed change leaders and agents about the types of initiatives they were undertaking. Here’s what the top items on the list looked like in the year 1999:
Implementing information technology changes
Reengineering existing business processes
Expanding or contracting the work force
Implementing major reorganization plans
Initiating new benefits, performance appraisal, or compensation systems
Establishing a new corporate culture
Any of those sound familiar? Although the terminology has changed a bit, and some additional themes have emerged, the focus of our change initiatives has stayed remarkably constant.
We often treat each change initiative as though it’s something completely new. We start with a blank sheet of paper as we articulate a case for change, evaluate potential challenges, and create plans and strategies. Yet if we dig a little deeper, we see that there are recurring story lines that we can use to inform our work.
Authors of both fiction and nonfiction works rely on standard plot structures to shape their stories. Most descriptions of a “story arc” begin with a setting (the status quo), a catalyst or conflict that sets things in motion, energy rising until a peak/climax is reached, and things moving forward to a resolution/denouement (which is not always a happy ending—think “Romeo and Juliet”).2
Conflict
While there are many articles about common plot lines that describe the overall movement through a story (the Hero’s Journey is one classic; another is finding/losing/regaining love), what interests me most is the part of the plot that sets things in motion. There are some classic conflicts I find helpful as I think about catalysts for organizational change.
Some of them are versions of “a [person] goes on a journey.” Change initiatives in this category are driven by internal goals and aspirations of an organization or one or more of its leaders.
Within the Self—resolving tension between multiple values and goals, desiring to improve or live up to a standard, and exploring a sense of possibility and growth are examples of this category. In my experience, many culture initiatives fit here.
Sense of Destiny—feeling called by a larger purpose or mission and seeking to fulfill a calling or quest are examples of this category. In my experience with nonprofit and NGO organizations, many initiatives are driven by this theme.
Other catalysts for change are versions of “a stranger comes to town.” These are things outside the individual or organization that create challenges and opportunities. External forces can include:
Nature—weather, disease, natural disasters, and other forces of nature can drive individuals and organizations to action. The COVID-19 pandemic is a vivid example of this theme, both in terms of changes to work practices and the initiation of new products and services in a shifting market.
Society—traditions, institutions, laws, and other societal forces shape the environment in which organizations operate. Changes that are initiated in response to new regulations, shifts in the political landscape, and emerging social movements fall into this category.
Technology—new technologies are continually emerging and older ones are fading. These create many pressures and possibilities for organizations. As I write this, for example, AI technologies such as ChatGPT are catalyzing major changes in the business and education landscape.
Others—the actions of other organizations—and of influential individuals—form a final category that covers a lot of ground. Other organizations are continually launching new offerings, initiating attempts at acquisition, and improving their products. Sometimes there are people or groups who are actively threatening us in some way, or are seeking to influence our actions in ways we need to respond to. Any of these actions can be a starting point for change initiatives.
Implications
"There is no character arc, deeper meaning, or satisfying ending without conflict in a story. Everything we love about fiction hinges on a protagonist wanting something that he or she cannot have, and doesn’t know how to get." Sean Glatch
What is true for fiction is also true for real life. People are motivated by the desire to overcome obstacles and resolve tension. As we seek to engage people in change, we need to recognize the power of conflict—whether it’s with ourself or with external forces—and use it effectively as a force. However, it’s very easy to get drawn into a mindset where we start to create “bad guys” we need to fight against.
Research suggests that it’s easier to motivate people when they are working toward a shared goal. This is sometimes done by highlighting an external threat that the group, team, or organization is fighting against. Unfortunately, this can also drive higher levels of antagonism and polarization in organizations and society, and reinforce the framing of challenges as win/lose battles.
There’s no easy answer to this, but there are some possibilities. When we increase our focus on initiating journeys rather than paying so much attention to the strangers coming to town, we can frame a conflict as being between our best selves/highest aspirations and our lesser selves, or in terms of a focus on larger purposes and goals (a “common humanity” mindset rather than a“common enemy” perspective). When we do respond to external challenges and threats, we can be mindful of who or what we portray as the threat, and see what we can do to move from an us vs. them, win vs. lose mindset to one that focuses on the emerging trend toward “co-opetition”—finding ways to work with potential competitors to raise the game for everyone.
Here are a few questions to consider as you reflect on this article:
What are your favorite books or movies? What are the main conflicts driving the primary characters to move into action? What might you learn from these stories that you can bring into the realm of organizational change?
As you think about the change initiatives you are involved with, how would you describe the underlying catalysts/conflicts? What combination of internal and external motivations are most visible?
What are some strategies you have used to create strong motivation for change without setting up “demons” to fight?
What other ideas do you have for drawing on the art and craft of plotting engaging story lines as you seek to bring important changes to fruition?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of Organizational Change Intersections! I’ll be back in about 2 weeks with the next installment.
From the early 1990s to the mid 2000s, I worked with author and change expert Daryl Conner at ODR and Conner Partners in several roles including research director, consultant, and COO.
Although most writing about plot structures focuses on fiction, plot structures in nonfiction are very similar.