‘The map is not the territory’

This chapter considers one aspect of conscious change leadership as a process of reconstructing mental models of the world. It reviews two models of change leadership: the transmission model; and, the diffusion model. The chapter examines the concept of 'everyday reframing' as a significant conscious change leadership process and connected with neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) applications. NLP is ideally suited to enabling conscious change leadership because it is broadly based on social construction processes. Social constructivism is the basis of explaining the dynamic nature of organizational culture. The philosophy that underpins conscious change leadership is that 'The map is not the territory' which basically means all perceptions are simply maps of a potential reality rather than actual reality – and imperfect maps at best. Core model involves managers designing ethnocentric maps that they then try to impose on others with disregard for their own maps. Meta-programmes heavily influence world views. Modalities have a structural composition.