Project Management | Organizational Culture | Change Management | Storytelling | Strategy

How Project Stories Define Organizational Culture

Organizations are cultures, and projects are their stories

If you ever spoke with me for more than 10 minutes, it’s no secret that my passion for literature is something that defines me. But what might surprise you is that I firmly believe this passion is intricately linked to my work in project management.

To me, organizations are living, breathing cultures, and projects are their stories. My story today is about the profound link between these seemingly unrelated worlds and how they shape the success and evolution of organizations.

Organizations are Cultures

When you think about organizations, you might picture charts, structures, and strategies. But have you ever thought about them as cultures?

Whether an organization is thriving, struggling, rigid, flexible, formal or informal, it possesses its own set of values, style, attitudes, and behaviours. These defining traits, unique to each organization, serve as the organization’s signature: the DNA that profoundly influences its ability to adapt, face challenges, and ultimately succeed.

As Peter Drucker supposedly said: