Discussion:
The Fictomorphs were developed through a diffractive, narrative inquiry process during a Doctor of Professional Practice thesis. Rather than testing predetermined interventions, the author’s experiences were retold as stories from their practice in health and disability support, and community settings. These accounts revealed recurring tensions, ethical provocations, and transformative moments, which were then transformed into reflective concepts. These became the Fictomorphs: emergent insights made visible through a post-qualitative method Fictomorphosis that was sensitive to nuance, discomfort, and generative ambiguity, rather than experimental validation results.
The method that enabled this emergence was Fictomorphosis, a creative, ethical storytelling process created specifically for this study. Fictomorphosis was developed to safely navigate complex and emotionally charged leadership and organisational narratives without reducing them to fixed categories or predetermined outcomes. It uses fictionalisation, diffractive analysis, crystallisation and narrative retelling to reveal hidden or marginalised dynamics in professional practice. By transforming real-life experiences into evocative story fragments, the method enables practitioners to engage with uncomfortable or ethically sensitive material from a distance, allowing for new insights, empathy, and transformation.
Each Fictomorph centres on a conspicuous theme, such as:
- Breaking Traditional Norms: rethinking inherited assumptions and dominant expectations
- Emotional Intelligence and Leadership: understanding and navigating affective dynamics
- Inclusivity of Neurodiverse Individuals: recognising non-normative contributions and needs
- Unlearning and Relearning: loosening entrenched beliefs and opening new conceptual space
- Empowerment and Active Participation: valuing voice, contribution, and shared ownership
These patterns can be deployed in leadership workshops, reflection sessions, and practice-based research settings. They invite dialogue rather than closure, multiplicity over singular truths, and collective inquiry over hierarchical instruction.