Reading :: True Storytelling

 True Storytelling: Seven Principles for an Ethical and Sustainable Change-Management Strategy

By Jens Larsen, David M. Boje and Lena Bruun

I happened on this book because one of our HDO MA students was interested in change management and I thought a narrative approach might be a good fit for his project. One Google Scholar search later, I realized that David Boje — who has pioneered the narrative research approach — had coauthored this book for a popular audience. I skimmed the book, thought it was in the ballpark (but not necessarily on target), and decided to read it.

The other two coauthors have a consultancy in Denmark, and all three claim Danish heritage. As they explain, the process they have put together is especially focused on change management in terms of climate change: “True Storytelling is a relational process ontology (Boje, 2019b) and a way to stand as an ensemble against ‘Fake Storytelling’ and climate change deniers” (p.xi). The book thus really isn’t about narrative research, it’s about how to tell effective stories that can underpin change management efforts. I’ll quote a big chunk from the preface:

We (David Boje, Jens Larsen and Lena Bruun) have developed Seven Principles to enable success with transformational change. You can think of them as tuning forks for when you work with sustainable change.

1 True: You yourself must be true and prepare the energy and effort for a sustainable future

2 Making room: True Storytelling makes spaces that respect the stories already there

3 Plotting: You must create stories with a clear plot, creating direction and helping people prioritize

4 Timing: You must have timing

5 Helping stories along: You must be able to help stories on their way and be open to experiment

6 Staging: You must consider staging, including scenography and artefacts

7 Reflecting: You must reflect on the stories and how they create value.

True Storytelling principles are an ethical approach to self-correcting the Fake to get closer to the True. We have developed True Storytelling as a philosophical and storytelling science scaffolding (p.xii). 

The rest of the book overviews these seven principles, using examples from the authors’ own consulting. Along the way, the authors tell stories about their own individual lives and draw on Latour, Deleuze, Haraway, Kierkegaard, and other theorists as well as the famous Dutch author Hans Christian Andersen. 

How well does it do? On one hand, they clearly describe and demonstrate their principles. On the other hand, I thought the principles were still pretty vague, and it was hard for me to pull the individual principles into a larger plan. The theme of sustainable change management was mentioned frequently, but I don’t think it was integrated that well — that is, the principles underpin good storytelling, but don’t seem specific to change management. Clearly the authors have a lot of expertise, but I don’t think it was well conveyed to readers as a coherent system focused on change management and/or global climate change.

For those who want to apply storytelling in organizations — especially in a Danish context — this book could be really useful. But I don’t think it’s quite what my student is looking for, and I don’t think I’ll use it myself either.