Our understanding of behaviour in teams has been informed significantly by research into family dynamics. While teams are not families (though a family can act like a team), they have similar interactions, shared perspectives and allegiances. Among the most important of these are shared narratives.

Studies carried out by Marshall Duke at Emory University found (in his own words) that “the more children knew about the history of their families (both the good and the bad things in their history) the stronger they were, the more resilient, the higher their self-esteem, the better their families functioned, the less likely they were to have difficulties in adjustment. Knowledge of family history, it turned out, was crucially important to well-being.”

With the shift to more hybrid and remote working, opportunities in work teams to recount and embed shared narratives are much fewer. Yet, the lessons from Duke’s research are equally applicable in a team context. Two seminal studies stand out here: Christopher Booker’s Seven basic plots and Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey. Booker identifies seven narratives that occur time and again – and all have relevance to teams. These are:

  • Rags to riches – succeeding against the odds
  • Overcoming the monster – prevailing against a threat
  • The quest – setting out to find something difficult but desirable; overcoming multiple obstacles
  • Tragedy – developing resilience and strength from unity. Says Duke: “We found in our research that the most resilient families told their tragic stories as well as their inspirational ones”
  • Comedy – disastrous events often become funny when sufficient time has passed. Says Duke: “Children who hear their elders telling stories that describe some pretty serious things but are laughing and appear joyful learn resilience.”
  • Rebirth – reaching rock bottom, yet somehow turning things around and reshaping themselves. Says Duke: “Rebirth stories teach that people can not only change, but that they can change dramatically and drastically.”
  • Voyage and return – the classic narrative that Campbell identified and underpinned modern sagas, such as Star Wars. Whether the journey is actual travel, or, for example, surviving through an illness, the story involves tenacity, help from others and returning wiser.

Inviting a team to identify and recount its narratives promotes connection and solidarity. However, it also stimulates resilience. In an environment of constant change, this may be one of the biggest assets a team can acquire.

REFERENCES:
Booker, C., 2004. The seven basic plots: Why we tell stories. A&C Black

Campbell, J., 2008. The hero with a thousand faces (Vol. 17). New World Library.

©️David Clutterbuck, 2026