STORY DRIVES CULTURE; METAPHORS BRING IT TO LIFE
Why great cultures don’t just have values – they have metaphors that bring them to life
STORY DRIVES CULTURE; METAPHORS BRING IT TO LIFE
Why great cultures don’t just have values – they have metaphors that bring them to life
culture doesn’t exist unless its shared
Many leaders are passionate about culture.
They invest in training, revisit engagement scores, and stick company values on walls and screensavers. And those are all good things.
But great leaders know something more: culture isn’t taught through slides. It’s told through stories.
One of the best examples comes from Ronnie Altit, founder of Insentra and creator of what’s known internally as The Train Story: a metaphor that explains the company’s culture in a way that’s both memorable, accessible, and meaningful.
The Train Story: A Metaphor for Moving Together
When new hires join Insentra, Ronnie shares a powerful story to help them understand not just what the company does, but how it operates.
“I hire very intelligent people. They are adults who behave like adults, and so we treat them like adults. I don’t want to run an adult daycare centre.” Ronnie Altit, Founder of Insentra
In Ronnie’s analogy:
- The business is a steam train, and Ronnie drives it, deciding which track to take and how fast to go.
- Each carriage represents a part of the business. They’re all connected, visible to each other, and aligned on the destination.
- Team members help fuel the engine, check in on other carriages, and take shared responsibility for momentum and care.
- The only passengers on the train? Clients and customers – welcomed aboard and looked after by everyone.
This isn’t just a metaphor for onboarding. It’s how the culture is reinforced – daily, tangibly, and consistently.
Why Storytelling Works – And What the Research Says
Metaphors aren’t fluff. They’re one of the most powerful ways to communicate complex ideas, especially when it comes to culture.
A 2023 study published in the Leadership Quarterly found that leaders who use narrative and metaphor are perceived as more credible, emotionally intelligent, and effective than those who rely solely on facts or directives. Why? Because stories stick. And metaphors help people find meaning in ambiguity.
Juliet Bourke and Bernadette Dillon, in their research with Deloitte, note that “Inclusive cultures are built on shared stories – not just shared metrics.” When values feel abstract, stories ground them in human experience.
And in Think Again, organisational psychologist Adam Grant argues that metaphors allow people to explore new perspectives without becoming defensive, crucial when reinforcing behavioural standards or expectations.
Another Example: “We’re a Pirate Ship”
HubSpot, the global CRM company, famously used the metaphor of a pirate ship during its early growth stage. Why?
- To signal agility over bureaucracy.
- To value resourcefulness and speed over hierarchy.
- And to encourage people to row together, but challenge the status quo.
They even printed it on swag, referenced it in onboarding, and used it to reinforce performance norms. Like Insentra’s train, it became a culture symbol and a strategic filter for hiring, decision-making and behaviour.
What HR and Senior Leaders Can Learn
Great culture storytelling doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be clear, consistent and connected to values.
Here’s how to bring it to life in your organisation:
1. Identify a metaphor that resonates with your culture.
Think about your business journey. Are you a ship, a train, a jazz band, a kitchen? Whatever metaphor feels natural, work with it. What roles do people play? Who sets the pace? Who do you serve?
2. Make it participatory, not prescriptive.
Don’t just broadcast the metaphor. Invite your people to co-create what it means. How does their team contribute? What does it look like when everyone is “on board”? Culture is more meaningful when it’s co-authored.
3. Use stories to reinforce values in action.
Instead of saying “we value teamwork,” tell a story about a moment where that value mattered – when someone went above and beyond, or when the team rallied together. These micro-stories become your living culture.
Final Thought: The Power of Cultural Narrative
Culture isn’t a checklist. It’s a collective narrative.
If your values are laminated but never lived, no one remembers them. But if they’re reinforced through story – metaphors, symbols, shared rituals – they become part of how people think, act, and connect.
And that’s how good cultures become great ones.
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Ronnie Altit was a #CULTURE17 Conversation Leader
