Stories Matter More Than Statistics
“At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”
There are two kinds of stories that data tells. Narrative is the story we tell others about who we are. Identity is the story we tell ourselves. Narrative is about perception and public presentation — how we want other people to see us. Identity touches upon our deepest beliefs and values — who we are, what we call ourselves, defining how we would like to be treated. The relationship between stories and data is sometimes narrowly framed. Yes, we need data to tell a story that people can relate to. No question. Yet having a story for story’s sake is not enough. There must be something more.
Ask yourself, what do people remember from our interactions? Many have studied what goes into social interactions (e.g., Goffman 1956, if not much earlier). What is the likelihood that the meaning and emotion of what was shared is accurately conveyed and understood by someone else? There are two points here. First, whatever story is being told, narrative or identity, whether it is supported by quantitative and/or qualitative data, it must begin with a clear understanding of audience. Who the story is being told to is just as important as why it is being told. Second, stories inevitably take on a life of their own. We need to spend more time understanding how and why certain stories are remembered.
There are at least three elements that go into an interaction.
An analysis that summarizes what the data finds.
A story that humanizes data by focusing on an individual or community.
The feeling that people have when they read or hear the story.
If you ask me to identify which element is the most important and why, the answer is clear: the feeling that people have when they read or hear your story. Why? People, in general, do not remember a specific analysis because numbers can easily abstract human experience. This is why bringing together quantitative and qualitative data and analysis is so important. Quantitative data helps identify patterns, qualitative data speaks to context and meaning. Moreover, an analysis in and of itself does not pay attention to the social, cultural and cognitive realities (such as shrinking attention spans) that inform how and what we remember and communicate.
The second most important element that goes into an interaction is a story that humanizes data. A specific individual or community helps make a story real and relatable. In higher education, for example, we likely do not remember a specific policy, analysis, decision or series of actions that made environments more accessible. This is often the hard work that happens behind-the-scenes by multiple people in various environments. Yet we remember the names and stories of individuals - students, faculty, staff - who overcame and persevered. It is a story of belonging and progress.
Yet a story that is without feeling, connection or emotion runs the risk of not being remembered. A memorable story hinges on this question: can someone see themselves in what you’re sharing if it’s not about them? This is the ultimate test of audience and the reason why so many organizations and businesses have a marketing, sales and communications department. If the answer is yes, there is a higher likelihood that your audience will takeaway the meaning and message of what is being communicated.
