Leadership and the use of metaphors in organizational management
1. Background
1. Background
Imagine a situation in which the CEO, a senior executive or head of a company wants to capture the attention and commitment of its
staff to achieve corporate goals.
A conventional chief appeal to the responsibility, the need to fulfill the duties,
including direct or indirect threats, using known and repetitive speeches; a leader in a nutshell, using a metaphor, just carefully
chosen words and images and will transmit
the message in the minds of listeners a topic on
which they, consciously or
unconsciously, reflect and
respond adequately. The first, direct speech
can accomplish little, just boredom, greater strength and less commitment when
he does what he
preaches or proposed; the second with a metaphor, short, strong personal conviction
and exemplary conduct, can
secure the support and commitment.
1. The methaphor
1. The methaphor
The metaphor (the Metaphora Latin, and this in turn taken from the Greek μεταφορά; actual "transfer", "offset"; derivative metapheró "I transport") is the displacement of meaning between two terms with an aesthetic purpose. It is located in the Poetics and the Rhetoric of Aristotle. The term English French term metaphor is derived from S XVI métaphore, which in turn comes from the Latin metaphora, "and it's μεταφορά (Metaphora)," transfer "from μεταφέρω (metapherō)," transfer "," transfer "and of μετά (meta), "between" + φέρω (phero), "transport" In literature, it is considered as a trope, semantic figure consisting of the combination of terms that allows the description of something with a resemblance by analogy (Ref 1)
A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes a topic (subject or object) stating that according to a point of comparison is the same as another seemingly unrelated. It is a figure of speech that compares two different things without using the words "is like" or "looks", so it should not be confused with a simile using these words. The metaphor is a type of analogy and is associated with other figures of speech that achieve their effects via association, resemblance, comparison including allegory, hyperbole and simile to. (Ref. 2)
In English literature, an excellent example of metaphor is a work of Shakespeare
monologue in As
You Like It:
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women Merely Players;
They have Their Exits and Their entrances;
-William Shakespeare, As You Like It, (Ref 2)
This quote contains a metaphor for the world is not literally a stage, but Shakespeare figuratively stating that the world is, describe how the world works and human life in it.
The metaphors and parables are an essential feature; are easily understood and easily captured even by the most reluctant to understand abstract concepts. An abstract concept of ethics, loyalty, duty usually transmitted by the head ends in soliloquy, when people whom he addresses are not professional or intellectual who has the height; a parable metaphor by a leader is accepted by the simplicity of the language and the high degree of understanding and acceptance.
For 2000 years the scattered parables in the Gospels have guided many people, and it is possible that the reflection from them has changed lives and redirected behaviors served for religious or moral leaders guide and guide their people.
Metaphors, parables and other intellectual and figurative creations can serve leaders to present ideas, to invoke the assistance of its staff, in times of crisis or boom, to modify behavior. In this regard it is pertinent to ask, why metaphors work?
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women Merely Players;
They have Their Exits and Their entrances;
-William Shakespeare, As You Like It, (Ref 2)
This quote contains a metaphor for the world is not literally a stage, but Shakespeare figuratively stating that the world is, describe how the world works and human life in it.
The metaphors and parables are an essential feature; are easily understood and easily captured even by the most reluctant to understand abstract concepts. An abstract concept of ethics, loyalty, duty usually transmitted by the head ends in soliloquy, when people whom he addresses are not professional or intellectual who has the height; a parable metaphor by a leader is accepted by the simplicity of the language and the high degree of understanding and acceptance.
For 2000 years the scattered parables in the Gospels have guided many people, and it is possible that the reflection from them has changed lives and redirected behaviors served for religious or moral leaders guide and guide their people.
Metaphors, parables and other intellectual and figurative creations can serve leaders to present ideas, to invoke the assistance of its staff, in times of crisis or boom, to modify behavior. In this regard it is pertinent to ask, why metaphors work?
In Ref. 3, it is noted that there is no way to test whether early humans used metaphors
because there are no records, but
certainly the metaphor was
a powerful element of aboriginal
cultures that did not use writing
and that allowed them to be
stable for a long time . Therefore, it is reasonable to argue that metaphors were an important part of the culture for a long time, maybe long before that same language. So it could
even be suggested that the "compressibility
of metaphors is inscribed in the genes" is instinctive.
3. Metaphor and business
Outside the context of primitive peoples
for which the metaphor was a vital means of
communication; subsequently used
in villages with writing
to convey or communicate
complex ideas in literature and
as a means of social class differentiation.
A different use of metaphor began between 1940 and 1950, when people like Alex Osborn (the creator of 'brainstorming'), WJJ Gordon and George Prince (creators of creativity approach called 'Synectics') adopted a business standpoint. Osborn, impressed by the significant increase in the productivity of American industry, motivated by the "war effort" 1939-45 (a concept of innovation that 30 years later would lead to the 'Japanese industrial revolution' of 1980). These pioneers of the novel "practical creativity" wanted to help people and organizations to be more imaginative, so the analogy and metaphors began to be used as instruments commercially valuable, not only as literary devices or explanations of psychological processes mysteries. (Ref. 3)
Prince George (1970) in one of his books says:
In 1951, as a result of becoming familiar newly With the work of Jung and Freud and Malthus With the principles of psychoanalysis, I convinced That Became imagination and the creation of ideas, Could be stimulated by the proper use of repressed thoughts. An executive in an advertising and marketing company, I Began experimenting with psychologists and creative people on everyday problems to find out if and how new ideas, Could be so generated.
Following these ideas and requirements of development, cognitive scientists are convinced that the approach of metaphors and analogies is one of the foundation of thought, rather than just the "surface decoration of a cake."
In this regard, Douglas Hofstadter, in 2001, stated:
Reasoning ... and problem-solving have (At least I dearly hope!) Been at long last Recognised as lying far indeed from the core of human thought. If analogy Were Merely a special variety of Something That in itself lies on the peripheries way out, then it would be an itty-bitty but blip in the broad blue sky of cognition. To me, however I, analogy is anything but an itty blip - rather, it's the very blue sky That fills the whole of cognition - analogy is everything, or very nearly so, in my view. (Ref. 3)
This idea is very far from Samuel Parker, John Locke, Adam Smith; although, of course, this does not mean that we can not solve problems with reasoned argument or so that they considered valuable. In fact, we can and we do regularly.
Rather, it means that special skills are acquired, like a gymnast or a dancer learning to perform spectacular stunts or steps in the parallel bars or on the dance floor, so that seems to be light as a feather.
These are amazing human achievements. Similarly, when an executive and leader practices mental gymnastics, learn and practice when using metaphors, you are ready for true connection with their partners, and also for rational discussions when necessary.
A famous metaphor related to the commitment of a people is the promise and challenge of Winston Churchill to the British people by invoking the full participation in the war against the Nazis. "Blood, sweat and tears" was the metaphor of the supreme sacrifice of the people
Conclusions
Metaphors are effective and useful tools to convey ideas, concepts simple or complex, even reluctant minds.
The creation or strengthening recurrence metaphors allow creativity of the leader or executive, as they can come to real life situations, with greater ability to deal with a problem from different angles.
The messages, invocations, staff effort demands are summarized and graphically, and are always accessible.
The greatest achievements in organizational human activity in the social, economic and political have been preceded or accompanied by metaphors that invoke the participation and commitment.
A different use of metaphor began between 1940 and 1950, when people like Alex Osborn (the creator of 'brainstorming'), WJJ Gordon and George Prince (creators of creativity approach called 'Synectics') adopted a business standpoint. Osborn, impressed by the significant increase in the productivity of American industry, motivated by the "war effort" 1939-45 (a concept of innovation that 30 years later would lead to the 'Japanese industrial revolution' of 1980). These pioneers of the novel "practical creativity" wanted to help people and organizations to be more imaginative, so the analogy and metaphors began to be used as instruments commercially valuable, not only as literary devices or explanations of psychological processes mysteries. (Ref. 3)
Prince George (1970) in one of his books says:
In 1951, as a result of becoming familiar newly With the work of Jung and Freud and Malthus With the principles of psychoanalysis, I convinced That Became imagination and the creation of ideas, Could be stimulated by the proper use of repressed thoughts. An executive in an advertising and marketing company, I Began experimenting with psychologists and creative people on everyday problems to find out if and how new ideas, Could be so generated.
Following these ideas and requirements of development, cognitive scientists are convinced that the approach of metaphors and analogies is one of the foundation of thought, rather than just the "surface decoration of a cake."
In this regard, Douglas Hofstadter, in 2001, stated:
Reasoning ... and problem-solving have (At least I dearly hope!) Been at long last Recognised as lying far indeed from the core of human thought. If analogy Were Merely a special variety of Something That in itself lies on the peripheries way out, then it would be an itty-bitty but blip in the broad blue sky of cognition. To me, however I, analogy is anything but an itty blip - rather, it's the very blue sky That fills the whole of cognition - analogy is everything, or very nearly so, in my view. (Ref. 3)
This idea is very far from Samuel Parker, John Locke, Adam Smith; although, of course, this does not mean that we can not solve problems with reasoned argument or so that they considered valuable. In fact, we can and we do regularly.
Rather, it means that special skills are acquired, like a gymnast or a dancer learning to perform spectacular stunts or steps in the parallel bars or on the dance floor, so that seems to be light as a feather.
These are amazing human achievements. Similarly, when an executive and leader practices mental gymnastics, learn and practice when using metaphors, you are ready for true connection with their partners, and also for rational discussions when necessary.
A famous metaphor related to the commitment of a people is the promise and challenge of Winston Churchill to the British people by invoking the full participation in the war against the Nazis. "Blood, sweat and tears" was the metaphor of the supreme sacrifice of the people
Conclusions
Metaphors are effective and useful tools to convey ideas, concepts simple or complex, even reluctant minds.
The creation or strengthening recurrence metaphors allow creativity of the leader or executive, as they can come to real life situations, with greater ability to deal with a problem from different angles.
The messages, invocations, staff effort demands are summarized and graphically, and are always accessible.
The greatest achievements in organizational human activity in the social, economic and political have been preceded or accompanied by metaphors that invoke the participation and commitment.
References
Metáfora
Metaphor
Methapor (2004) The Open University, UK; 2004
