In 1992, pollster Frank Luntz was touring the country testing support for upstart presidential candidate Ross Perot. He was thrilled to find that no matter where he went, or what demographic he was testing, he found strong support. Then, one day, he made a mistake and discovered something that changed how he looked at campaigns forever.

He was testing three ads. The first was a self-made man narrative biography of Perot. The second was an excerpt of a Perot speech. The third consisted of testimonials for Perot.

After viewing the ads, every focus group responded positively to the candidate until, accidentally, he ran the spots in reverse order. Testimonials first, then the speech, then the biography last. In this order, people found the candidate brash. Without the emotional narrative first, they just didn’t connect with him.

What he learned is what great leaders have known for a long time: that stories engage people’s emotions, and that emotional engagement is what makes things happen. More often than not, great leaders are great storytellers.

More often than not, great leaders are great storytellers.

To be sure, we’ve all been taught that good arguments proceed rationally, by taking a position and backing that position up with evidence like data, experiences, and experiments, logical reasoning and so on.

But it turns out that people don’t make decisions rationally. Instead, people make decisions using intuitive, emotional processes, and then they use rational argument to justify the position that feels right to them. If a rational argument doesn’t confirm what someone already believes, it usually engenders a counter-argument. The result is a cycle that leaves opposing parties entrenched and divided.

Leadership is not about argument. Good leaders calm opposing parties down and motivate them to move in one direction. They know, as Frank Luntz discovered, that an emotional story often motivates people in ways that reason or argument doesn’t.

That doesn’t mean that leaders shouldn’t have good arguments for doing what they do. A narrative may get people to consider something new, but that’s just the first step. You’ll need rational arguments and evidence to support that motivation and help keep the energy going after you get people thinking in new ways.

If you haven’t been much of a story teller, it’s not too late to start. Here are a few tips to get you started telling stories that will help you make your case for change.

  1. Frame your story with a message: The story itself needs to illustrate a point. Make sure you know what your point is, and make sure the point is explicit. Above I tell Frank Luntz’s story, but the point is that stories are more effective in activating change than argument. I started with that point, and I ended with the same point. You’re likely to remember the story, but you’re likely to remember the message, too, because I framed the story with the message.
  2. Choose the right story: The story you tell needs to illustrate very clearly, and very precisely what you want your audience to remember. It might be a story from recent or ancient history, or an analogous story of someone trying to do something you’re trying to do. It might even be a “what if story,” as in, “What if we put a man on the moon?” If you want to make a change, think about what the change looks like and choose the right one to tell.
  3. Don’t put in too much detail: Usually, the shorter the story the better. If you can tell it in a few sentences, that’s best. 
  4. Support your story: Starting with a story is just a start. If you are trying to get any kind of important change, you’ll need research, data, and statistics to back you up. Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos used a story about her uncle dying of cancer to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for a diagnostic tool that she said would have saved him. But she didn’t have the technology she promised, and so she’s been indicted on fraud and could face up to 20 years in jail. Stories are powerful. Make sure you have what you promise before you start convincing people.
  5. End with open conversation. Change is inherently about getting other people to engage with an idea. Always make sure you invite people to ask questions and participate in creating the future.

Let’s co-create some stories right now. If you could tell a story to illustrate one change you are trying to accomplish right now, what story would you use?  Write me at Lisa@lisadfostercoach.com and I’ll include your examples in an upcoming blog.