Avionics News August 2014 - 47

includes some sort of anecdote. Stories and thumbs are
two of the things that make us human; we've used the
former for tens of thousands of years. With good reason,
stories help us save memories, share experiences and
motivations, and hold others' attention in very physical
ways.
At their most basic, stories are the file format our
brains prefer for storing knowledge, according to
psychologists, because they weave many points of
information from a complex world into a simple causeand-effect thread: Zog the caveman zigged and was
eaten by the saber-toothed cat, while Zug zagged and
speared the beast. If that's a potential issue for you, this
is good to hear around the fire circle. Even if it's not,
the simple fact that we can recall details from stories for
years shows how unforgettable this memory effect can
be. There's even a mnemonic device for remembering
long lists that involves imagining a plot that connects
each item.
So stories are a big deal. Myths and legends
define virtue and evil, oral histories pass along
cultures, and bedtime fables teach children
to mind their parents. We even dream - and
daydream - in narrative; many of us spent the
past several months theorizing "satisfying"
resolutions to the dramatic mystery of a certain
missing airliner.
In this sense, stories allow us to
live vicariously and see the world
through other peoples' eyes.
As social creatures, we like
this connection, according to
Paul Zak, a neuroeconomist
at Claremont Graduate
University, so much so
that well-told tales create
empathy for characters,
which performs a side-run
around the normal skepticism we
feel when our analytical mind runs
the show.
We're biologically wired for
this. As we listen, scans show
our brains explode with activity,
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including the parts that manage memory, language and
"theory of mind," where we consider what other people
are doing. We also experience the details of stories in
those parts that "see" colors, "smell" odors and even
"power" movement. During moments of tension, our
noggins cue the release of stress hormones to help us
pay attention, and feel-good ones when we experience a
happy ending to cue that empathy.
But a good story can do other good, too. Storytelling
projects are part of a variety of public-health initiatives.
Those efforts, ranging from preventing food-allergy
reactions in restaurants to compelling heart patients to
take their medicines and change their diets, use real-life
stories of people affected by each, and they've shown
that this tool for poking listeners' emotions can inspire
changes in behavior.
STORY TIMES
As a businessperson, this is what you want people
to do - whether they're employees you motivate
or customers you want to buy. For this to
happen, you're wise to embrace the emotional
side of persuasion, know how to use stories
strategically and understand what kinds of
stories you should deploy.
Certainly, there's a difference between
speaking and being heard, according to
Greg Power of public relations firm
Weber Shandwick. Figures, facts
and fundamentals may
convince a customer or
employee, or they may not
if he or she isn't convinced
by your argument. Either
way, reason alone doesn't
inspire action, or we'd all
be wealthy and fit. Rather,
motivation comes from
emotions.
This makes stories essential for
leadership. Telling stories of your
values, strategy and initiatives gives
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Avionics News August 2014

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