We hear a lot these days about “feeding the narrative.” Reddit describes the process this way: “The narrative in this context means the stereotypes or mainstream opinions about something and ‘to feed into’ means to bolster or provide more evidence for.”[i]
Our social media platforms, along with the mainstream media, bombard us with ‘mainstream opinions’ all trying to ‘feed the beast.’ If this is true, what are the personal and organizational costs of spending time feeding opinions that are not based on empirical facts but rather questionable inferences that must be fed to sustain their existence?
I remember my mother telling me as a young child the cost of telling a lie. She warned me that if I didn’t tell the truth, I would have to ensure that my ‘story’ never changed because once there was an inconsistency, I would be found out as a liar. She said, if you always tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you have said because it is based on truth. How freeing that was to me!
It has been said that our reputation is how others view us, and our character is who we really are.[ii] When there is a difference between who people think we are and who we really are, it takes a lot of energy and focus to ensure our ‘reputations’ remain intact. When leaders become drawn into areas that are inconsistent with their character (who they really are and the virtues that define them), their focus can shift from leading those they are privileged to inspire to controlling and maintaining their ‘perceived reputation’ at all costs.
The cost of this deception is stagnation and growth within the organization. Followers are no longer inspired to be creative and come up with new ideas and innovation but instead are forced to ‘feed the narrative’ of their leader just to keep their jobs. Organizational trust wains, and the focus shifts from thriving to surviving. Freedom of thought is canceled, and ‘feeding the beast’ is the new measure of “team player.”
When creativity and innovation are stifled, people become focused on survival and are problem and failure adverse. They are more inclined to ‘fall in line’ with the opinions and narratives of those that control their lives at the cost of experiencing any joy in realizing their potential and gifts that have led to the creativity and innovation that has been the trademark of ‘the free and the brave.’
[i] Corta, U. (2018), Reddit post, https://www.reddit.com/r/EnglishLearning/comments/87yu12/feed_into_the_narrative/
[ii] Phillips, R. (2021). Finding Joy in Leadership: By Developing Trust You Can Count On. BDI