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Metaphors of Business is an exploration into how the nature of businesses can be revealed through the common use of language and metaphor, and how to use this information to improve communication, culture, and ultimately business success.
Business is a complex human invention which is rife with language that uses terms of simpler and more natural concepts. And the nature and culture of business tend to match up with the natural concepts that the language describes. In other words, the way we think about business is portrayed by the language that we habitually use to describe it.
Imagine there are three business leaders, giving a speech to their employees:
Imagine there are three business leaders, giving a speech to their employees:
Leader 1 Okay team, we need you to keep your eye on the ball. We have a big play coming up which is going to really help us gain ground against our competitors. Sure, we may be thrown a curve ball or two, but if we get our game plan ready we will have the tactics in place to hit this thing out of the ball park. Let's win this thing! |
Leader 2 We’ve spent a long time building this business. We laid strong foundations, and have made sure that we have a structure that will stand the test of time. But this isn’t time for complacency, those at the top have told us that we have to take this thing to the next level, and build further upon what we have already acheived. |
Leader 3 We are getting a stranglehold on this market and many of competitors are running scared. But there are still some of them staring down the barrel at us. So we need to ensure that we continue to arm ourselves against any surprise attacks. So it’s time to go out on an offensive and take no prisoners! |
These speeches clearly portray the metaphors of how these leaders think about business; business is a game, business is architecture, business is war. And as the leaders think of business in these different ways, it will shape the way they run their business, the decisions they make, and the way they work with other people in business.
As a leader, do you think you'll get more out of your employees if the workplace is a competitive game, a structure worth building upon, or a matter of life and death? Your communication can vividly paint either scenario into the minds of your employees and the culture of the business.
Or there may be a department what doesn't work well with the rest of the business. Could it be that the metaphor of your business doesn’t align with the metaphor of the department? For example, if your business is running well and it is based around a metaphor of a game, and one department is treating business like a war, can you imagine the consequences?
Metaphors of Business is an exploration into how the nature of businesses can be revealed through the common use of language and metaphor, and how to use this information to improve communication, culture, and ultimately business success.
Richard has been an inspiration through his work with Metaphors of Business. I personally use the journey of projects and have found the path opening up before me and for my clients. Richard is so accessible, responding to queries and sharing his latest research." Annelise Piers, India
"Loved last night's skype session with Richard Lindesay and his 'Metaphor of Business' approach : that moment of 'bliss' where the mind releases the problem and the metaphor changes into a journey full of resources ... beauty !" Barbara Belger, New Zealand
"When Richard Lindesay worked with me on my business, I was feeling unclear as to how to describe my business model and direction. However after a session using the Metaphors of Business model with Richard, I gained a new way of looking at my business, of connecting with my prospects and customers, and therefore a fresh perspective which I could have never discovered on my own. Enlightened with this new way of connecting with my business, I am now able to use a variety of metaphors, which help me see things differently and allow me to find new ways to solving business problems. If I were to describe it, it’s like a passage of discovery filled with new ideas, that generate new possibilities for your business and multiple dimensions for solving problems." Nomiki Georgiadis, Australia
Richard is the thought leader on Metaphors of Business and its applications in strategic and staff development. He is a joy to work with, thoughtful and thought provoking. I found the insights he helped me reach to have had immense value in guiding my decision making. Mat Rawsthorne, UK
"Loved last night's skype session with Richard Lindesay and his 'Metaphor of Business' approach : that moment of 'bliss' where the mind releases the problem and the metaphor changes into a journey full of resources ... beauty !" Barbara Belger, New Zealand
"When Richard Lindesay worked with me on my business, I was feeling unclear as to how to describe my business model and direction. However after a session using the Metaphors of Business model with Richard, I gained a new way of looking at my business, of connecting with my prospects and customers, and therefore a fresh perspective which I could have never discovered on my own. Enlightened with this new way of connecting with my business, I am now able to use a variety of metaphors, which help me see things differently and allow me to find new ways to solving business problems. If I were to describe it, it’s like a passage of discovery filled with new ideas, that generate new possibilities for your business and multiple dimensions for solving problems." Nomiki Georgiadis, Australia
Richard is the thought leader on Metaphors of Business and its applications in strategic and staff development. He is a joy to work with, thoughtful and thought provoking. I found the insights he helped me reach to have had immense value in guiding my decision making. Mat Rawsthorne, UK
