Humans comprehend life through stories and not through data. What is happening around us matters more than any well analysed and organized economic data or indices. People believe only what they can comprehend and not much beyond that. So, rather than using metrics, the marketers or the politicians often prefer using stories for communication. Many of the CEOs whom I meet during my consulting work are great storytellers. They do not talk about hard processes. Instead, they narrate the stories of successes and failures.
While reading through Mark Mason’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck”, I realized that he had communicated counterintuitive things very effectively through detailed storytelling and he dived deep into our minds just through his stories.
To comprehend data, one needs to think and invest mental energies while stories unlock the visuals, feelings and experiences in our mind effortlessly. Most of the time, this data is beyond the periphery of our confirmed beliefs and thus, is not very comforting for many while stories engage people seamlessly.
Every leader needs to be a storyteller to inspire, educate and motivate. Sometimes he needs to push people beyond their comfort zones even without them realizing it. But before the leader does that, he needs to push himself, out of his own comfort zone and walk the talk.
So, start with a story each day . If possible narrate the real life stories. In a meeting, whoever starts with a story gets rapt attention. So, tell the stories that matter.
