• The scenario:  You are asked to do a presentation. Perhaps it is at a lunch or you are asked to talk as part of a team. You were asked to speak because you have recognized expertise. To paraphrase Kevin Daley, the temptation for any speaker is to stuff the audience with facts. You need to provide information, but don’t think that’s everything.  No speaker was ever praised because he or she broke a world record for reciting data.

• We get lauded for being interesting, not for being a fountain of numbers.  Statistics are not interesting by themselves.  We use factual evidence to increase our credibility and to support our viewpoint.   But audiences don’t pay attention enough to track statistics.  An audience is much more moved by a story.  That is what grabs their attention and sways their viewpoint.  That is what impresses them.  If you want the audience to love you, tell a story.

Rerun from Sep 9, 2013