Narrative Landscape Mapping

Purpose

Narrative Landscape Mapping makes the stories that shape an organization visible and navigable. Every organization runs on narratives — about its origins, its heroes, its taboos, and its future. Some narratives are dominant and reinforced; others are suppressed or emerging. By mapping the narrative landscape, groups can see which stories drive behavior, which stories are missing, and where new narratives could shift the culture.

At a glance

How to run

1. Collect stories (15 min). Each person writes 2–3 stories they hear frequently in the organization on separate sticky notes. Include: origin stories, hero stories, cautionary tales, "the way we do things here" stories.
2. Sort into categories (10 min). Group the stories into clusters: Dominant narratives (told often, widely believed), Counter-narratives (told quietly, challenge the dominant story), Emerging narratives (new stories just starting to appear), Absent narratives (stories that should exist but don't).
3. Map the landscape (15 min). On a large sheet, arrange the clusters spatially: dominant in the center, counter-narratives at the edges, emerging narratives on the horizon, absent narratives as blank spaces. Draw connections and tensions between them.
4. Analyze the landscape (10 min). Discuss: Which narratives drive behavior? Which narratives trap us? Which emerging narratives could we amplify? What absent narrative would change everything if it existed?
5. Design narrative interventions (10 min). For each desired shift, identify: What stories need to be told? Who should tell them? In what contexts? What dominant stories need to be gently challenged?

Materials needed

• Sticky notes in four colors (one per category)
• Large paper or whiteboard for the landscape map
• Markers
• Camera to document the final landscape

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Only mapping positive stories. Include cautionary tales, stories of failure, and taboo stories. The full landscape matters.
• Treating narratives as facts. Stories are interpretive — the same event can generate different narratives. Map the stories, not the "truth."
• No action. A beautiful narrative landscape map without intervention design is an interesting artifact, not change work.
• Facilitator imposing their narrative. The facilitator maps what the group shares, not what they think the narratives should be.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Different organizational groups experience different narratives — include diverse storytellers.
• Counter-narratives often come from marginalized voices — create safety for these stories.
• Use visual mapping for accessibility.
• Offer anonymous story submission for sensitive narratives.

Variations

• Narrative landscape over time: Map how narratives have shifted across organizational eras.
• Comparative landscapes: Map narratives from different divisions or regions side by side.
• Digital narrative landscape: Use a digital whiteboard for remote teams.

When NOT to use this

• When the group cannot handle hearing counter-narratives without becoming defensive.
• When narratives will be used to control the official story rather than understand the real one.
• When there is no appetite for narrative-based intervention.

Source & further reading

• Boje, D. M. (2008). *Storytelling Organizations*. Sage.
• Denning, S. (2005). *The Leader's Guide to Storytelling*. Jossey-Bass.
• Snowden, D. J. (2005). "Story Telling: An Old Skill in a New Context." *Business Information Review*, 16(1).