Creative Organizational Vision Building Through Collaborative,Visual-Metaphorical Thought

An organization needs a strong, compelling vision of its future in today's complex, unpredictable socioeconomic environment. A college faculty recently used collaborative metaphorical discussions, mind mapping, and imaginative visual thinking to produce an unusual, idealistic vision of the college's future. This vision took the form of a fanciful metaphorical drawing, which was surrounded by an elaborate mind map and accompanied by a story that connects the symbolism in the drawing with the processes and products of the college. This unique initiative clarified connections between the everyday work of college personnel and their vision of an attainable, optimistic future.