“What happens when reality outruns the story an organization uses to understand itself?”
Luis explores how the stories organizations tell themselves shape trust, identity, behavior and their ability to navigate change. He gives leaders practical ways to assess whether the narrative that got them here still fits where they are now and where they hope to go next — and whether it should be reinforced, repaired or replaced.
Portrait of Luis De Los Santos
When the story no longer fits
Organizations don’t just respond to change. They make sense of it — through stories.
The stories organizations tell shape what people see, what they believe, how they behave and what they think is possible. When reality changes faster than the story, leaders face a choice: reinforce what still works, repair what no longer fits, or replace what has ceased to be useful.
Luis in conversation with leaders
Key themes
Narrative Under Pressure
“How inherited stories shape what people see, what they believe and what they think is possible — especially when circumstances change.”
Leadership Under Uncertainty
“How leaders create clarity and credible agency when the future is unsettled.”
Trust, Identity and Belonging
“How the stories people and organizations carry influence who feels heard, who contributes and what becomes possible.”
Latest thinking
When Reality Outruns the Story
“Why organizations remain loyal to narratives that no longer explain reality.”
Reinforce, Repair or Replace?
“A framework for deciding what to do when an inherited story stops working.”
Why People Stop Telling Leaders the Truth
“Why psychological safety is essential to narrative repair.”
Experience across leading organizations
10,000+
Professionals trained
Across finance, healthcare, technology, education and public institutions.
A forthcoming novel
Tomorrow’s Yesterday
“A speculative novel about identity, belonging and what happens when survival forces humanity to confront the stories it has created about race.”
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Thought-provoking. Practical. Human.
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