Why Storytelling Matters

Translating Ideas into Action for a Better World

As Shakespeare, the world’s undisputed storytelling G.O.A.T., put it in Hamlet:

What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! …
And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?

As a lifelong storyteller who transitioned into the world of tech, I’ve learned firsthand that data without a story is just noise. Without artful and effective storytelling, the best data would amount to “mere dust” in the face of the information onslaught of today’s hyperconnected world.

Numbers play an essential role in conveying an idea that matters – but numbers by themselves, can’t necessarily make those ideas matter to the people who need to hear them most.

Storytelling in Business & Tech: The Difference Between Success & Obscurity

In technology, for example, entrepreneurs who excel at storytelling are 22x more memorable than those who rely on facts alone. They are also significantly more likely to secure funding – yet many tech founders are as bad at communication as they are good at engineering.

The reality is, no matter how brilliant their ideas, founders who struggle to tell a compelling story often struggle to grow their companies. They either need to become better storytellers or empower those who can help them craft narratives that resonate – not just with investors, but with customers, partners, and the public.

Because people don’t buy ideas. They buy the story behind the idea.

We see this same principle at work in one of the highest-stakes arenas of all: climate science.

The Climate Crisis & the Power of Narrative

For decades, the world’s top climate scientists have shared data that should have long ago inspired urgent global action. But because they frequently lack the storytelling skills of their science-denying counterparts, they have lost ground in the battle to mobilize public support.

By contrast, industries and politicians that profit from fossil fuels have woven an appealing narrative that maintains their profitable status quo rather than sparking desperately needed action. In this case, if the better storyteller continues to win, the consequences will be measured in lives, landscapes, and livelihoods lost.

Take New York City. As Neil DeGrasse Tyson – a scientist uniquely equipped to convey a narrative – pointed out last week, the city installed massive vault doors in its tunnels under the Hudson and East Rivers, after Hurricane Sandy, to prevent catastrophic flooding from future storms.

The science behind rising sea levels hadn’t changed. The data had long warned us what was coming.

What did change? The story.

Once the devastation was undeniable, the city adapted. But if climate scientists had been – or had empowered – better storytellers, perhaps those doors would have been installed before Sandy hit, rather than after.

With wildfires already devastating communities this year in places like Los Angeles and Chile, it’s fair to say the climate story will only become more important. It’s high time we told that story with a power that can drive change before the kinds of crises the data has told us to expect for decades, become our permanent reality.

Turning Data into Action

The lesson is clear: Data alone does not move people to action.

The same applies to any field where numbers should drive decision-making. Whether you’re a scientist, a founder, or a leader seeking to inspire change, your ability to translate complex information into a compelling narrative determines whether your message will be ignored or embraced.

When we transform data into a story – one that sparks emotion, understanding, and urgency – we unlock the power to drive innovation within our communities, governments and organizations, and inspire each other to focus and take action on the issues that matter the most.