Should you Learn the Story or the Data?

I love this posting by marketing guru Seth Godin, called Permeability for the management lesson it gives. However there is another quote within it that brought me back here to JJL to re-read the RFL contribution that David Zinger had posted for us too. In his post, Seth says,

“That's how most CEOs and top managers make decisions. Not based on unemotional data, but on emotion-rich, experience-based stories.”

I think that’s how most of us make decisions, not just CEOs. Many times we look for the data after our gut-level, visceral decisions have been made. We look for the data to give us affirmation that our emotional intelligence is just that – intelligent!

David Zinger recently wrote that,

“Sometimes I read an article here [at JJL] and don't even know the impact. I will write about something 3 weeks later and find that the article I read influenced me without any conscious awareness.”

Well, I confess that this permeable posting from Seth may have jumped out at me because of David’s conversation here this morning with Bridget about creating your signature story. David had said that, “We do not only tell stories, we are stories,” and Bridget asked,

“Signature Stories...give me more details, how do I create mine? What exactly is a signature story? Is this a story about who you are in a nutshell, where you want to go, where you've been, and where you are going?”

In part, David replied,

“Here are a few tips to find your signature story:
It is the story you love to read.
It is the story you can't help but tell.
You keep learning from your signature story.
It embraces a fundamental element of your life and work.”

David, Bridget, Seth... you ... I want to learn more... it is so cool the way that the comments work around here!
~ Rosa Say, JJL Contributor, and author of Managing with Aloha Coaching.

Comments

[Steve Sherlocks]

Story is so important. One of the side stories from this weekend's podcamp: the original presenter for the session on story telling failed to show up, some one from the crowd stepped up to conduct the session in a true unconference participatory nature. Reports from attendees of the session say that is was probably better than what had been scheduled. That in and of itself is a story worth telling!

[Rosa Say]

Wow, how great Steve!

Can you give us a bit more on what was shared at the session? Was it one of the ones you attended?

[Steve Sherlocks]

Unfortunately, I got to only 3 sessions and that was not one of them. The registration/welcome desk took more time than I had planned on but that time was in and of itself well worth it.

I did get to speak with the story teller who stepped up to lead the session. She lead the group in some story preparation exercises. Small group activities and then in pairs. The pairs reported out and then as a group they built on that info. At the end, one other volunteer got up to share a story and it was a powerful one. He was not new to story telling; he admitted later to having been in the development of it, but this was a significant step for him and it left a memorable impression on those who were there.

[Rosa Say]

Mmmm, that's a powerful story in itself ... baby steps that = big building blocks in participants' confidence and self-actualization.