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5 It Takes a Story to Understand a Dilemma

Study the hard while it’s easy. Do big things while they’re small. The hardest jobs in the world start out easy, the great affairs of the world start small. So the wise soul, by never dealing with great things, gets great things done. —Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

You need stories and storytelling to peel back the wicked complexity that was introduced in Part 1, to help you make sense out of dilemmas.

Whereas problems can be solved with data and analytics, dilemmas need stories. Throughout this book I use stories, including personal stories, case studies, and vignettes, to bring dilemmas to life.

Stories about dilemmas are not just stories; they are mystery stories. As the Tao Te Ching teaches, stories ...

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