Board reviews
Conducting an ED review or considering a leadership change and need objectivity.
The story your org tells -
and the one it's actually living.
ORGANIZATIONAL NARRATIVE ASSESSMENT
A 4–6 week diagnostic that uses documentary research methods to reveal the gap between what leadership thinks is happening and what staff is experiencing, then helps you close it.
"The most powerful thing wasn't the recommendations, it was seeing our organization's real story clearly."
Board Chair, Chicago-area nonprofit
"The most powerful thing wasn't the recommendations, it was seeing our organization's real story clearly."
Board Chair, Chicago-area nonprofit
New leadership
Taking over and need to understand the cultural landscape before making moves.
Something feels off
Something feels off but you can’t name it. Tension, turnover, or unexplained dysfunction.
Strategic shifts
Preparing for major change and need a cultural baseline before you act.
Scaling up
The culture that got you here won’t get you there. Time to professionalize without losing what’s special.
Post-merger
Cultures are colliding after a merger, acquisition, or major restructuring.
How it Works
The typical Operational Narrative Analysis process takes 4-6 weeks to complete with an optional 3-6+ month Chief of Staff engagement afterwards to operationalize the changes.
01
Discovery
Confidential one-on-one interviews with up to 20 staff across all levels, using documentary techniques that create space for what usually goes unsaid.
- Confidential staff interviews (up to 20 people)
- Observational research of meetings and team dynamics
- Document review — strategic plans, past assessments, internal comms
- Leadership interviews to understand the intended narrative
02
Synthesis
Everything gets woven into a narrative report , anonymized quotes, visual synthesis, thematic analysis, that reads like a story, not a spreadsheet.
- Pattern recognition across all interviews
- Identification of gaps between leadership vision and staff experience
- Visual synthesis of cultural themes
03
The Story Forward
Findings are presented to leadership or the board in a format designed to invite honest conversation. Then we co-create the story you want to become.
- Facilitated leadership presentation and discussion
- Co-creation of the desired organizational narrative
- Actionable recommendations and a 30-day implementation roadmap
04
(Optional) Embedded Implementation
Most assessments end with a report. This one can lead into a Fractional CoS & COO engagement, embedding me in your team to actually operationalize the changes.
- 1–3 days per week, embedded in your organization
- Implementation of structural and cultural recommendations
- Ongoing cultural pulse-checks and leadership coaching
WHAT CHANGES
Right away
- Leadership sees what’s actually happening
- The “missing piece” becomes visible and nameable
- Language for dynamics you’ve been feeling but couldn’t articulate
- A concrete roadmap for change
Over time
- Reduced turnover because people feel heard
- Stronger leadership credibility
- Aligned narrative across the organization
- A culture that supports your strategic ambitions
“The goal isn’t perfection. It’s alignment. When your organizational narrative is coherent, when what leadership says matches what staff experiences, everything else gets easier.”
Ready to see the real story?
Start with a conversation about what’s happening in your organization, and whether a Narrative Assessment is the right next step.