Facts don't move people. Narratives do

Have you ever heard of the expression “facts don’t care about your feelings?”. Well, it turns out that our feelings don’t care much for facts either.

Not that facts aren’t important. They are. But jamming your comms with facts won’t drive action. Especially since most people can’t retain more than 3 facts/figures from any given message.

Conversely, narratives - at times infused with salient facts - can drive all sorts of human activity from consumer behavior to career success and even warfare.

Think about the workplace: when was the last time someone got hired or promoted by listing facts? It doesn’t happen. Instead, facts are woven into narratives that are used to making hiring, promotion and firing decisions.

Narratives are all around us. Every sports broadcast on TV is driven by a story. Consider the story of Tottenham Hotspur this season

Despite a well known brand and a state of the art stadium, the club’s weak performance in the Premier League left them on the brink of relegation.

But a seemingly lost season was rescued by winning the Uefa Europa League and gaining a place in next season’s Uefa Champions League. A story of failure, redemption and rebound.

Social issues are driven by narratives too. In the U.S., many homeless people are viewed as lazy or feckless and deserving of their status because of the powerful narrative of the American Dream.

But in reality homelessness isn’t a function of work ethic and countries like Canada and the UK have higher rates of social mobility than the U.S.

Narratives are so powerful they can lead to war between nations. The United States was founded through war because the ruling class believed the narrative that taxation without representation was unjust and oppressive.

The revolution was led by men who yearned for freedom while owning slaves because they believed the narrative that while they deserved freedom, slavery was a perfectly acceptable practice.

Consider the current war being waged in the Middle East. There’s enough land and resources to house and feed all Israelis and Palestinians. This conflict is driven entirely by narratives.

In business and politics, Elon Musk is viewed as either a hero, genius and visionary or as racist, self-serving and greedy depending on the narrative you buy into.

Storytelling is a vital skill in business

Founders pitching for investment not only have to convince investors of the worthiness of their startup, they also have to sell investors the narrative of why the founding team is best suited to scale the business.

While every narrative is unique, good narratives usually have a few things in common. First, they tell the story through characters: - a relatable protagonist (e.g. the founders, employees or customers of a company) - to drive the story forward.

Second, narrative arc includes challenges, successes and failures to make the story engaging, memorable and relatable.

Next, the narrative includes a sense of conflict/tension - e.g. a solving unique customer problem. Finally, the narrative should include a satisfying conclusion that touches upon the impact made by solution being offered.

While every narrative is unique, a good narrative usually includes the below characteristics:

• Characters: A relatable protagonist, such as the company, its founders, employees, or customers, drives the story forward.

• Plot: The narrative arc includes challenges, successes, and failures, making the story engaging and memorable.

• Conflict: Introducing tension and interest, conflicts can be problems the company solves or challenges it faces in the market.

• Resolution: A satisfying conclusion showcases how the company or its products/services make a positive impact.

Here’s an example of the story of Uber:

After struggling to find a taxi following a tech conference in Paris in 2008, Travis Kalanick realised his new iPhone could provide a new way to hail a cab and founded the mobile app Uber.

However, Uber faced resistance from traditional taxi services and regulators which led to lawsuits and fines. In addition, Uber drivers sued the company claiming they should be classified as employees not contractors.

Despite these challenges, Uber’s strong value proposition and the iPhone’s rapid adoption allowed the the company to scale very quickly.

To overcome resistance from some reluctant stakeholders, Uber collaborated with regulators to accommodate its services and offered drivers new benefits.

Today, Uber is the world’s leading cab-hailing platform that also offers rides on bikes and scooters as well as delivery of groceries, meals, drugs and more.

Ultimately, good narrative will communicate the values of a business, explain the value proposition and resonate with audiences on a human level.