Las historias que se cuentan en las empresas

Two ways of thinking, analytic and narrative, are present within organisations. Both forms are complementary and useful but they have different aims. The first one looks for reliable knowledge, the second one gives meaning to everyday experience. This article presents the foundations of narrative thought and its results, the stories that we tell ourselves and others which give meaning to our experience. It will also comment some of the most frequent uses of narrative focusing in areas such as knowledge management, leadership and change. Finally it presents some methods to enrich or break off personal stories to develop in a professional and organizational way.ResumenEn las organizaciones conviven dos formas de pensamiento, el analítico y el narrativo. Ambas formas son complementarias y útiles pero tienen finalidades distintas. El primero busca el conocimiento fiable, el segundo dotar de significado a las experiencias cotidianas. En este artículo se plantean los fundamentos del pensamiento narrativo y de su resultado, las historias que nos explicamos y explicamos para dar sentido a nuestra experiencia. También se comentan algunos de los usos más frecuentes del enfoque narrativo en cuestiones como la gestión del conocimiento, el liderazgo o el cambio. Finalmente se presentan algunos métodos para el enriquecimiento o ruptura de las historias como vía para el desarrollo profesional y organizacional.AbstractTwo ways of thinking, analytic and narrative, are present within organisations. Both forms are complementary and useful but they have different aims. The first one looks for reliable knowledge, the second one gives meaning to everyday experience. This article presents the foundations of narrative thought and its results, the stories that we tell ourselves and others which give meaning to our experience. It will also comment some of the most frequent uses of narrative focusing in areas such as knowledge management, leadership and change. Finally it presents some methods to enrich or break off personal stories to develop in a professional and organizational way