As someone who works in Excel everyday and prides myself on an ability to crunch any numbers or run any analysis, creating a “story” and selling that to an audience doesn’t come naturally. For me, I’d rather use a line graph or bar chart and let that do the convincing. But if Brandon Smith taught me anything, it’s that using a story works for persuasion.
So I came across an article written a few months ago in HBR by Harrison Monarth (author of The Confident Speaker and Breakthrough Communication) where he writes about the power of storytelling as a strategic business tool. An example he uses to illustrate the power of storytelling is from the latest Super Bowl commercials for Budweiser. In one advertising study looking at the effectiveness of ads based on content or structure, a researcher at Johns Hopkins noted “regardless of the content of the ad, the structure of that content predicted its success.” So I’m thinking: it’s not what you say, but how you say it? Monarth concludes by writing “A story can go where quantitative analysis is denied admission: our hearts. Data can persuade people, but it doesn’t inspire them to act; to do that, you need to wrap your vision in a story that fires the imagination and stirs the soul.”
Working in the healthcare industry, I found it particularly interesting when Monarth notes an example of how patients change their behavior for the better based on stories their physicians tell them, rather than presenting the data.
Does anyone have specific examples of storytelling in a presentation to actually change behavior or implement a proposal? I’d love to use these tactics, but am still a little skeptical my company’s executives could be moved to action by a story vs. data. What works in your industry?
Mark, your comment about how patients change their behavior for the better based on stories their physicians tell them, reminded me of another interesting relationship regarding physician-patient communications. Physicians with better/more positive bedside manners are less likely to have malpractice claims filed against them by patients ().
Sometimes presenting only the facts and numbers is not the best approach, especially when the presentation involves bad news. It can be hard to find an emotional connection to just the numbers or statistics. A bar chart, while informative and clear, is probably not the best approach to relay bad news/diagnosis to patients. Establishing rapport with your audience, whether a patient or executive management, is likely to be one of the more important factors determining the overall success of a presentation.
Andrew, I’ve heard that story as well, but didn’t have a link to the study. Thanks for sharing that. Interesting that hospitals and insurers can lower patient costs through behavior guidance of their physicians rather than any treatment actually performed. Great example, thanks for sharing. I’ll see if I can communicate this with the dentists I work with to change our patients’ behavior.
Mark-
I have made a point to work on my number crunching abilities, as my skills are not as pronounced as yours. While presenting in an environment in which I am comfortable with the audience, I rely more heavily on conversation and engagement. I tend to ask what it is that they see in the data. People are always willing to share their opinion. It’s important to understand what aspects of the numbers people are drawn to and what morals they are deriving from their value. Once you are able to see how they are reading the story, you can redirect their mindset along the path you would like them to take through persuasion. Numbers are just numbers unless they tell a story. They are always telling a tale, but the moral may be perceived differently to different eyes. You can’t persuade someone to concede your viewpoint unless you are willing to see their perspective as well.
Great point and advice Christine! You’re totally right that the numbers tell a story, but they will certainly be different stories to different people with different agendas and take-aways. I think the key for me, and most number-driven folks, will be to help guide the story using the numbers – then use the conversation and engagement to take action. I especially like your point about needing to understand someone else’s viewpoint before I can convince them otherwise or come to a mutually agreed outcome. That can be difficult as we’re all stuck in our own way of thinking and performing work, so it takes true self awareness and consistent reminders to bridge the gap. Thanks for the pointers!
Mark,
Being an engineer who lives in a world of number crunching, I understand your dilemma. I used to be the same before I joined the MBA program but I have become better at ‘call for action’ using my numbers and hope to develop the art of story telling by the end of the program.