Why storytelling is more trustworthy than presenting data
Karen Eber | TEDxPurdueU
For Karen Eber telling stories is helping people feel seen and a great way to connect with people. Eber starts off her talk by explaining the neurological process when listening to a story or data and how through listening to stories you gain empathy for the storyteller. She clarifies that data doesn’t change behavior, emotions do and that data never speaks for itself. It needs context.
According to Eber a great story answers three questions: What is the context? What is the conflict? What is the outcome? It also builds and releases tension, creates an idea and helps you see new things as well as communicates value. To connect your story and data you want to share you have to come up with the framework for your data and story first. By retelling stories and talking about her own experience in consulting others Eber makes you think about presenting data in a whole new way.
Don’t wait for the perfect story. Take your stories and make it perfect.
