Part Two: Curating Context — Tools to Shift Workplace Culture and Create New Possibilities Introduction In Part One, we explored how workplace patterns and stories shape how we understand people and problems. We learned that context isn’t just background noise—it’s the container in which meaning is made. Now, we turn to the most important part: how we can begin to shift that context to create better outcomes for individuals and teams. The Science (Continued) CMM reminds us that interpretation is not neutral. We are constantly making choices about what we believe others mean—and those choices shape what happens next. This is not just technical; it's moral and political. Culture and leadership are constructed in the space between words and interpretations. Key Findings 3. Meaning is Made Through Choice When someone speaks, we interpret what they mean. That interpretation is our choice, even when it doesn’t feel like one. Key idea: How we choose to interpret a message shapes what happens next. It’s not just a technical move—it’s a moral and political one. If a leader hears feedback as defiance rather than concern, their reaction will shut things down rather than open them up. We are always making choices, even when we pretend, we are just reacting. 4. Actions and Context Shape Each Other It’s not a one-way street. Context influences how we act—and our actions can shift context too. The bigger picture (like organisational culture) shapes how we talk and behave—but the way we communicate can also shift the bigger picture over time.
What This Means: Application of the Concept Let’s bring this to life with a common example: Imagine an employee keeps missing deadlines. The manager tells a story: “She’s disorganised and careless.” But if we explore the context, a more complex picture might emerge:
The manager hears “It’s fine” and believes the story: “She just doesn’t care.” But that interpretation isn’t the only option—it’s a choice. What if, instead, the manager interpreted it as: “She’s trying to cope but needs support.” That small interpretive shift might open the door to a different kind of conversation. And if this happens enough times, it might even shift the culture to one where support-seeking is normalised. Understanding context like this helps leaders, HR professionals, and teams respond with more insight. It invites us to see complaints not just as grumbles but as clues to larger patterns. It reminds us that what seems like resistance might actually be a request for something different. The biggest leadership shift here is from being a fixer of surface problems to being a curator of context. New Insights and Tools 1. Context Mapping Tool If you’re an HR leader, coach, or consultant, your job is not just to fix problems—but to ask better questions. Try this in your next tricky conversation:
2. Inclusion Through Story Audit Dominant stories can marginalise minority voices—especially if they position people as “troublemakers,” “not a culture fit,” or “too sensitive.”
3. Build Feedback Loops People rarely offer their true stories without trust or space. Leaders can intentionally create feedback systems that surface hidden stories:
A Quote to Reflect On "Change the story and you change the context. Change the context, and you change what’s possible." — Anonymous (widely quoted) A Question to Reflect On What new story would need to be true for your team to thrive—and what context would make it possible? Further Reading
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Part One: The Stories We Tell — How Workplace Narratives Trap or Transform Us Introduction
Have you ever wondered why some workplace issues feel like they just keep repeating themselves—no matter how many times they’re raised? Maybe someone always feels left out of decision-making. Maybe a team keeps missing deadlines, or a manager thinks their team isn’t proactive. We often jump to conclusions or solutions, but what if the issue isn’t the behaviour at all? What if the real challenge lies in the context around it? Our working lives are made up of patterns—things that tend to happen—and we make sense of those patterns by telling stories. These stories shape how we see people, problems, and possibilities. But here’s the thing: they don’t just describe reality—they create it. The Science This post draws on the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) framework, a communication model developed by W. Barnett Pearce and Vernon Cronen (1985) and systemic organisational thinking. These ideas explore how meaning is co-created through layers of context and how the stories we tell shape what feels possible in our organisations. Key Findings 1. Patterns and Stories In every team or relationship, there are patterns—ways things usually go. We make sense of these by telling stories with:
But no story captures everything. And the stories we repeat—about ourselves, others, and the organisation—can either open up or shut down new ways of acting. These stories help us simplify what’s going on, but they can also trap us. If the story is negative or one-sided, it shapes how we act—and often reinforces the very pattern we want to change. Example: If a manager says, “My team just isn’t proactive,” it becomes a story that shapes how they treat the team—and how the team behaves. The story reinforces the pattern. Stories shape what’s possible. Stories aren’t just descriptions. They become self-fulfilling. If we say someone is difficult, we may stop engaging with them—and they may eventually withdraw, proving the story. When stories are too similar across a group (groupthink), they shut out new perspectives. When they’re too different and disconnected, trust breaks down. The goal is to notice and work with this dynamic, not ignore it. 2. The Power of Context Context gives meaning to what’s said. CMM describes layers of context that influence communication:
A simple phrase like “I don’t feel heard” can mean a hundred things to a staff member, depending on the organisational culture, their relationship with their manager, how they see themselves, and the moment it’s said. If the culture doesn’t value different voices, the relationship is strained, and the person sees themselves as powerless, their comment may land as a complaint—rather than a request for support. A Quote to Reflect On "Stories help us make sense of the world, but they also shape what’s possible within it." A Question to Reflect On In your team, what story gets repeated the most—and what might it be reinforcing? Further Reading
Next up in Part Two: We’ll explore how to actively shift context and story—using choice, interpretation, and feedback loops to enable a more inclusive, flexible culture. You'll also get practical tools like the Context Mapping Tool, the Story Audit, and ideas for building deeper feedback systems. |
AuthorJust me, 
a HR professional listening, learning and working towards an enhanced people experience at work
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