Relevance and scope of projective techniques for the purpose of organizational consulting are discussed. As an example, responses to a word-association task requiring each participant to visualize his company as an animal were compared with the rated appraisal for different values and qualifications as elements of corporate success. The sample consisted of 219 German managers (48% of them were CEOs or board members). Meaningful relationships between the choice of certain animals and value preferences were shown. Finally, widespread disapproval of projective techniques in management diagnosis and organizational consulting may be challenged.
