The story cycle begins and ends with an established or automated method of carrying out an action. If that method begins to fail, then an evaluation starts in order to identify root causes. Alternative solutions are considered and tested, and then a new method is put into production to complete the cycle. “There are many different models of story,” continued Lewis, “but the key is to have a holistic view of the evolution and look at the problem identification phase, the innovative phase, and the eventual operational phase.”
As a group goes through this process, tacit knowledge can emerge that reveals obstacles and why something is not working well, whether it is a customer experience, manufacturing process, or a marketing strategy. The discussion of potential solutions also elicits tacit knowledge. “Leading a group through a story sequence helps the tacit or unarticulated knowledge become articulate,” Lewis explained. “It is there in the minds of individuals but has not been expressed or captured using just fact-finding methods.” Having a shared mental model of the story cycle helps people understand the sequence so they can offer appropriate insights at each stage.
Lewis compares storytelling to looking at a map versus following instructions from a GPS. “When you look at a map in order to get to your destination, you have a lot of context. You can see the beginning and end of the trip, the milestones along the way, and sometimes the actual terrain,” he observed. “If you just punch the destination into a GPS, you have a series of ‘turn left, turn right’ instructions. You don’t necessarily ever know where you are.”
A story can begin with a series of specific questions, such as why something in the organization isn’t working. Eventually it is all put together—the thinking piece comes first, and along the way, some previously unarticulated knowledge is captured. Many of the methods for disseminating such revealed knowledge are not primarily technological. These include mentoring, holding workshops, and forming discussion groups (which may be in person or virtual). Organizations should build this step into their plan for capitalizing on tacit knowledge.