If an organization is perceived as a fighting unit (military metaphor based on war), a well-oiled machine (structural and mechanistic metaphor based on machines ), or winning team (a sports metaphor based on games), three entirely different assumptions of reality are being presented. For moment, consider the strengths and weaknesses of these types of metaphors (Clancy, 1989). The strengths for a war metaphor include being goal-oriented, recognizing the difficulty of the process, and expecting strong an courageous leadership. At the same time, it emphasizes destroying the opponent in order to claim victory. In the pursuit of destruction, few sacrifices are too great. We go on “missions,” “attack” the problem, are “outgunned,” and can be loose cannons.”