Organizational Research Methods: Storytelling in Action

David M. Boje

Book being prepared for Routledge, due March 2018

To cite this document: Boje, David M. (2018) "Organizational Resarch Methods: Storytelling In Action", (March 15), URL = <https://davidboje.com/ORM_Storytelling_in_Action_Book/index>

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Chapter RPO10 - Frank’s Embodied Storytelling DIalectics

Arthur Frank’s (1995) The Wounded Storyteller provides an embodiment approach to storytelling that few have applied to organization research. Exceptions include Carolyn Gardner’s (2002) dissertation on expatriates and my earlier book on narrative methods (Boje, 2001).

 

Dialectic of Four Kinds of Embodiment Narratives and Oppositional Self-Stories (by D. M. Boje, April 30, 2017, used by permission)

RESITUATION NARRATIVE &
RESITUATION SELF-STORY

Restorable Body I.

TESTIMONY NARRATIVE &
TESTIMONY SELF-STORY

II. Body’s Witness

Chaos Embodied IV.

CHAOS NARRATIVE  &
CHAOTIC SELF-STORY

III. Communicative Body

QUEST NARRATIVE  &
QUEST SELF-STORY

Figure 10: Franks's Dialectical types

Table: 7 STEPS of Embodied Restorying Process (ERP by Boje and colleagues)

1. Recharacterize (received Organization identity) from how other organizations are telling it.

2. Externalize (re-label) Make the Problem the Problem, not the Person as the problem.

3. Sympathize (benefits) – of old story of or your organization has its payoffs

4. Revise (consequences) – What are the negative consequences, including the stereotypes of received organization identities being applied to you?

5. Strategize (Little Wow Moments of exception to Others' dominant master narratives); These are also known as ‘anchoring points’ that contradict the crystalized traumatic narrative of traumatic experience

6. Restory (rehistoricizes the old dominant narratives by collecting Little Wow Moments into A 'New Story' of you several possibility futures), to not be stuck in the past, reliving one event

7. Publicize (support networking) e.g. letter writing, social media, celebratory events with supporters of your ‘New Story’ of future and potentiality, to stay in the ‘new world.’