What do I know? What should I say?
"We know what we tell and tell what we know." Reminding people of stories can help shift their thinking and leverage collective knowledge through a process called Framestretching—distinct from crowd wisdom or brainstorming.
What we know
Organizations struggle with innovation and adaptation not due to lack of knowledge, but because behavior stems from experience and beliefs—"the representation or meaning we make of our experiences." Our beliefs form frames that determine how we navigate situations.
When new input breaks our expectations or creates gaps between prior experience and present cues, we become alert. Questions awaken consciousness, whether verbal or sensory. Any disruption to our established scripts prompts the brain to sift through what it knows.
Why the Story? Or Why Columbus?
I asked 52 professionals at a Chicago Booth alumni roundtable: "What do you know about Christopher Columbus?" Responses varied significantly—only 10% matched their written answers with peers' responses.
Key findings from the distribution:
- 34% mentioned America/the New World
- 32% mentioned discovery or credit for discovery
- 22% cited 1492 as the discovery year
The variation illustrates how "what we know, we tell; what we tell signals what we understand." Individuals wrestle with relevance, correctness, and demonstrating authority through their responses.
Insight
"Listen to what people tell and ask yourself why did they say that?" This practice reveals insights about their experience, perspective, and perceptions—even when they hesitate retrieving information.
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