In a world where culture change and organizational transformation are ever-shifting landscapes, 'Sense-making' and participative narrative inquiry emerge as fit-for-purpose methods and beacons to guide leaders at every level through the fog. This session delves into the art of detecting weak signals and understanding the dynamics and patterns of organizations through the lived experiences shared by individuals.

Sense-making is a participatory form of ethnography. Individuals share personal experiences or observations and enrich these narratives by answering targeted questions, adding depth and layers of meaning. This method uniquely marries hard data with soft, qualitative insights. It inherently reduces bias, as participants, rather than external analysts, interpret and code their own stories. This approach not only lends authenticity to the data but also ensures that real-life stories, supported by data, are at the forefront of driving culture change and measuring progress.

The power of these narratives, especially when they reveal consistent patterns supported by quantitative evidence, is undeniable. They offer a detailed, multifaceted view, aiding leaders in spotting trends and behaviors within their organizations. By analyzing a broad collection of such narratives, organizations can detect subtle changes and inform targeted actions, making sense-making an invaluable tool for understanding complex systems and guiding interventions.

In this session, we'll explore practical insights from applying sense-making to identify barriers in Agile implementation and culture change, focusing on intrinsic motivation and team health. Additionally, we'll present several mini-case studies to help participants understand how to assess and measure culture change with narratives.