The Dark Side: Manipulative and Toxic Storytelling

In the previous articles on storytelling, I tried to explain the roots of storytelling, what its strengths are, what lame and tame versions look like and how they arise.

Nevertheless, storytelling has tremendous power, and it would be surprising if this mixture did not also invite abuse. I therefore want to delve deeper into this dark side. In this article, mainly how it looks. Later, I will say something about ways to recognize such abuse, how to cope with it – or even better: how to construct a storytelling process (not really a process in the traditional sense of organizational science) that is resilient to such abuse.

Four Archtypes of Manipulative Storytelling

Some negative patterns of storytelling recur regularly. They are actually easy to recognize if you know how to read the signs. I call these archetypes, in analogy to my metaphor of the four sisters of sensemaking, the four witches of confusion.

1. Narrative Colonization

Dominant narratives often overshadow alternative perspectives, marginalizing voices that do not align with the established story. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s concept of the “single story” illustrates how one perspective, when repeated and institutionalized, becomes the only recognized truth.

In organizations, narrative colonization manifests in histories that erase contributions of certain groups, cultural stories that reinforce the status quo, and leadership narratives that frame dissent as disloyalty.

Notorious example: A multinational corporation celebrates its legacy of innovation while neglecting to acknowledge the contributions of early employees and overlooked contributors from diverse backgrounds.

2. Gaslighting Through Selective Storytelling

Gaslighting occurs when selective storytelling is used to construct a misleading version of reality. This often involves omitting crucial details, reframing past events, or selectively highlighting successes while ignoring failures.

Notorious example: A toxic leader manipulates organizational history by presenting past failures as the fault of previous teams while taking credit for inherited successes. Employees begin doubting their own recollections, leading to a culture of confusion and passivity.

3. False Urgency and Crisis Narratives

Urgency is a powerful motivator, but when wielded dishonestly, it becomes a tool for bypassing critical thinking and rational decision-making.

The “burning platform” dilemma: While a genuine crisis may necessitate quick decisions, fabricated or exaggerated crises serve as a justification for pushing unpopular changes and suppressing debate.

Notorious example: A CEO declares an existential financial crisis to justify mass layoffs, only for reports to later reveal stable profit margins and executive bonuses.

4. Heroic Storytelling and Ego-Driven Narratives

The Cult of the Hero

Organizations often romanticize singular figures, attributing collective achievements to the brilliance of one individual. This erasure of collective effort distorts reality and discourages a culture of shared success.

Notorious example: Silicon Valley’s obsession with founder myths, where charismatic leaders are credited with all innovation, ignoring the contributions of early employees, advisors, and support networks.

Savior Complexes in Leadership

Some leaders position themselves as indispensable by crafting narratives where only they can navigate challenges. This fosters dependency, discourages empowerment, and stifles organizational resilience.

Notorious example: A turnaround CEO implements short-term wins while suppressing emerging leaders, ensuring the company remains reliant on their leadership rather than fostering sustainable success.

Organizational Propaganda eats Authentic Narratives

Just as there are recurring patterns for problematic or toxic narratives, many of the processes by which they arise are also similar.

1. Values Statement morphing into Fiction

Organizations often craft grand narratives around their core values, but when these stories do not align with reality, they breed cynicism and disengagement.

Notorious example: A company wins awards for its workplace culture while experiencing high turnover, burnout, and internal dissatisfaction.

2. The “Happy Family” Toxic Narrative

Framing an organization as a “family” can be a manipulative tactic to suppress dissent, enforce loyalty, and discourage professional boundaries.

Notorious example: A company insists “we’re all family here” while expecting employees to work excessive hours without compensation, framing objections as a betrayal of the collective.

3. Progress Narratives That Mask Regression

Storytelling is often used to portray an illusion of progress by selectively presenting data that supports a preferred narrative while obscuring declining conditions.

Notorious example: A company boasts “industry-leading” employee engagement scores while neglecting to mention that these scores are based on selectively reported metrics, not comprehensive feedback.

Conclusion

Storytelling holds immense power in shaping organizational culture, decision-making, and leadership. However, this power carries ethical responsibility. Leaders and organizations must remain vigilant against the manipulation of narratives for control, exclusion, or self-interest. By fostering authentic, inclusive, and transparent storytelling, organizations can cultivate a culture of trust, accountability, and genuine progress.

The next article in this series will explore the countermeasures, cognitive mechanisms behind storytelling, examining how narratives shape perception, memory, and decision-making.

References

Foto: jurien huggins, Unsplash

Table Of Contents
  1. Four Archtypes of Manipulative Storytelling
  2. Organizational Propaganda eats Authentic Narratives
  3. Conclusion
  4. References

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