The Next Next Common Sense
“Everybody knows what the bus ride was, where we went, why we went there and what came out of it.” This narrative structure transformed an ab- stract turnaround challenge into a concrete, emotionally engaging story. Effective landscape metaphors provide similar narrative frameworks for organizational challenges. They aren’t static images but dynamic sto- ries that unfold over time, with recognizable characters, obstacles, and potential resolutions. This narrative quality enhances their ability to cre- ate coherence across diverse stakeholders.
Symbolic Significance
Beyond its practical outcomes, the bus journey acquired symbolic significance—it represented the team’s commitment to taking ownership of their challenges rather than waiting for solutions from above. Four years later, the “bus ride” had become organizational shorthand for initiative, collaboration, and transformation. Landscape images often acquire similar symbolic power, becoming shorthand for key organizational values and principles. When Jack Welch talked about “boundarylessness” at GE, he wasn’t just describing an or- ganizational structure but invoking a landscape image that symbolized openness, collaboration, and barrier removal.
Action Orientation
The landscape journey naturally oriented participants toward action. Rather than abstractly analyzing their situation, they focused on tangible next steps—specific product features they could adapt, processes they could improve, and solutions they could implement. Effective landscape metaphors similarly orient organizations toward action by making challenges and opportunities concrete rather than ab- stract. They transform vague anxieties about “market position” or “com- petitive advantage” into tangible landscape features that can be navigated, modified, or leveraged.
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