What are you telling yourself about this?

In an unforgettable scene, the Night Fox, Vincent Cassel's character, responds to Danny Ocean's question (played by George Clooney), "How did you get by the laser field in the great hall?" ...

… by responding with, "Aha ... the laser fields ... ... well ..." ... and then we get to watch ... this:

Exceptional!

This—the lasers, the room, the individual navigating the lasers in the room—is exactly how I picture the storyfield in my mind.

The lasers, of course, are the stories. The room is also a metaphor: capable of fitting any work situation you might find yourself in. And the individual? The Night Fox? That's you.

The storyfield: the swirl of stories at work, a nearly limitless number all playing out simultaneously. Like this …

Your story: "I can make a meaningful contribution here." Laser 1.

Your colleague's story: "We need to move fast before the moment passes." Laser 2.

Your boss's story: "This project will demonstrate our team's value." Laser 3.

The organizational story: "Innovation happens through cross-functional collaboration." Laser 4.

The inherited story: "Successful projects require clear milestones and accountability." Laser 5.

Your work life is shaped by your stories about work. The stories shaping what feels possible, what feels worth trying, what feels like just how things are.

“I can't voice my opinion in that meeting.” “I should try a different approach here.” “This happens every budget cycle.” “My expertise matters on this project.” “I'm too busy for this.” All stories.

Some close down possibility. Some open it up. Some just name what you're noticing. But they're all shaping what you do next, how you show up, what you accept. 

And here’s the multiplier: There are stories happening around us at work, too. Everyone you work with is telling themselves their own stories. The organization is telling stories. So does the industry. And the broader culture. That's the storyfield.

You can work with the storyfield when you can see it. Sometimes that means noticing the story you're telling yourself. Sometimes it means recognizing the stories in tension around you. Sometimes it means trying out a different story to see what opens up.

It might be as simple as: What story am I telling myself about this situation? Or: What stories are in play here? You don't need to resolve anything. Just start seeing the storyfield you're working in.

Around The Water Cooler ⛲

"Captains set the agenda, create tension and lean into possibility. Captains aren’t just doing their job, they’re creating something that others thought was unlikely. They rarely have all the answers, but they’re very good at asking questions." Captaincy by Seth Godin 

"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." Viktor Frankl (though it's disputed) swissmiss 

"I am not telling you to make the world better. I’m just telling you to live in it. Not just to endure it, not just to suffer it, not just to pass through it, but to live in it. To look at it. To try to get the picture. To live recklessly. To take chances. To make your own work and take pride in it. To seize the moment." Joan Didion swissmiss (too!)

Thanks for reading. Hit reply and let me know your thoughts.

How To Work is healthcare-focused work design inspiration (from the experts!) to nudge your perspectives and practices into better alignment with the world of work as it is, and away from what it was. Here’s my take on what we’re working through.