Constructing Shared Understanding

Abstract

The authors present a novel metaphorical approach to organization development, the use of embodied metaphors, and in so doing extend current understandings and uses of metaphor in organization development (OD). The authors discuss an intervention technology that emphasizes induced rather than naturally occurring metaphors, builds on a developed theoretical base of collaborative diagnostic technologies, and can be employed in a targeted manner for issue diagnosis and intervention. Implications for the use of embodied metaphors in OD are discussed.