Seeking organizational unity: Building bridges in response to mystery

Abstract

Mystery, instead of being a state that must be solved or eliminated, is actually necessary for the formation and maintenance of organizations. Three key sources of mystery emerge from Kenneth Burke's perspective on communication: separation, strangeness, and hierarchy. This essay argues that Burke recognized the need for mystery in communication, manifested in both ambiguity and contradiction. In today's organizations, rather then seeking to eliminate mystery through communication, members should seek to strategically use mystery to enhance communication at work and promote organizational unity through stimulating the creation of alternative symbol systems.