"How does an organization explore the unknown? Almost by definition, new market entry, product or service introduction, collaboration activities, or governance policies (to name a few) are areas of limited or patchy data. Companies facing a myriad of choices about new opportunities usually rely heavily on company-wide assumptions of ‘how the world works' and ‘who we are' to support their limited direct experience. These beliefs are part of a shared causal map-a graphing of the relationship between elements such as people, things, actions, places, and situations-heavily based on years of accumulated narratives. While experience is useful, rigid causal maps may also create blinders and lead to lost opportunities for decision-makers who believe they understand more than they do." Read on for more on storytelling in organizations...