If there was a space in which narrative is used that both Left and Right-Wing practitioners of narrative techniques come together in a face-off, it is the Leadership context. It is also in this space that the most misrepresentation and misunderstanding of narrative techniques (and their purposes) has taken place. From my perspective, I have seen three uses of narrative techniques for Leaders:

1. Storytelling: one can lead by using stories to effect change. The argument in this application of narrative is that Storytelling is a core skill that leaders need to master in order to lead the organisation towards strategic objectives. Because stories engage on an emotional level, leaders who master the art of choosing and delivering the right story for a specific purpose can move staff in a more effective manner towards achieving goals. One of the best practitioners in this space is Steve Denning, well renowned for his books The Leaders Guide to Storytelling. This application of narrative has also received its fair share of criticism form practitioners on the other polar end of the narrative continuum for using narrative in manipulative ways.
2. Organisation Narrative Mapping (ONM): knowing the organisation's story as a diagnostic of organisational culture. Someone once wrote that the leadership imperitive is to "know the organisation". In using narrative in thsi context, the maxim is taken one step further: a leader should know the organisations story. Used in this context, varying amounts of stories, told by a cross-section of employees, are gathered and analysed for emerging themes. These themes are then signifiers of the organisational culture and position leaders well in terms of making decisions relatign to the culture. Experienced practitioners in this space are TomorrowToday.
3. Navigating complexity: using narrative as a technique to understand the context in which leaders operate. A significant voice in this space is Dave Snowden who'll be publishing a HBR article on the subject in November. To quote from him:
   • In the complex environment of the current business world, leaders often will be called upon to act against their instincts. They will need to know when to share power and when to wield it alone, when to look to the wisdom of the group and when to take their own counsel. A deep understanding of context, the ability to embrace complexity and paradox, and a willingness to flexibly change leadership style will be required for leaders who want to make things happen in a time of increasing uncertainty.
   Image courtesy of Raven Photography