We’ve been taught over the years that if we present the right data, people will make the right decisions. We’ve picked this up in academia and in business.
But hang on a moment, what if that’s completely wrong?
I recently spoke with Lisa Cron about the concepts from her book Wired for Story, and we explored a fundamental truth about human behaviour:
People don’t think in facts. They think in stories.
From infancy, the brain is wired to interpret everything through the filter:
How does this affect me?
And this has huge implications for leadership.
1. Facts don’t land without meaning
You can present the most compelling data in the world but if it doesn’t connect to someone’s internal narrative, it won’t stick. In fact, it can do the opposite.
When people feel their beliefs are being challenged, their brain treats it as a threat. So instead of leaning into it, they defend instead.
2. Story is not a “soft” skill it’s how decisions are made
We like to believe decisions are rational. But they’re not. We make decisions based on how information makes us feel, not just what it says.
Story translates abstract ideas into lived experience, allowing people to feel the impact before they act.
3. The real driver: the “third rail”
Every powerful story has an emotional core called the “third rail.” (Think the live railway in a subway train.)
It’s the tension between:
- What someone believes
- What they want
- And the moment that belief is challenged
This is where transformation happens. And this is what leaders often miss.
4. Leadership starts with understanding your audience
If you want to influence change, start with these curious and revealing questions:
Why don’t they already believe what I’m saying?
What experience shaped their current view?
What would they have to give up to change?
Because change is emotional as well as logical.
So what do we do?
People don’t listen until they feel heard, and they don’t change because of what you tell them, but of what they realise for themselves.
So the next time you’re communicating something important, ask yourself:
Am I giving them information… or helping them experience a new truth? Want more tips and insight?
Listen to the full episode of Wired For Story with Lisa Cron here: https://podfollow.com/words-that-change-lives
And if this resonates with you as a leader, feel free to DM me, happy to support you in applying this in your organisation.
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