# Alternatives to Sports, Military, and Family Organizational Metaphors Source URL:: https://stephenslighthouse.com/2023/05/23/alternatives-to-sports-and-military-metaphors/ I love using metaphors (or more accurately analogies and storytelling) for explaining things and engaging with audiences. I dislike sports and military metaphors. I don't find them to be inclusive and many audiences can't connect with them. They often don't meet an inclusionary threshold. That said, I also like a simple metaphor but dislike when ## Highlights > [!quote]+ %%Updated on Fri Feb 16 2024 11:01:00 GMT-0500%% > > Here are some examples I’ve collected that might help frame things for planning and organizational purposes: > >Cooking and ingredients >Planning a birthday party reception >Gardening and agriculture >Creation: Carpentry, weaving, sewing, art, etc. >Peacemaking, diplomacy >Playgrounds and recess >Group work in high school >Some widely experienced popular culture (I’ve used Wizard of OZ, Dilbert, Simpsons, bestsellers, for example.  It depends on the audience if these engage.) >Choosing amongst like items (favourite drinks, juice, chocolate bars, etc.). >Choosing amongst disparate items or priorities related to personal preference (travel destination, movies, books, etc.) >Choosing amongst priorities (To-Do lists, work-life balance, etc.) >Health and medicine, illness and treatment >History sans the sexism, western bias, and other ism slants and without war references.