Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.
You'll never guess the antidote to this curse.
The Heath brothers are clear:
“Leaders can thwart the curse of knowledge by ‘translating’ their strategies into concrete language.” They continue: “Stories, too, work particularly well in dodging the curse of knowledge, because they force us to use concrete language.”
I rest my first case.
2. The Elements of a Good Story
I come from solid Irish stock. We are hard‐wired to tell a good story. (We are also hard‐wired to enjoy the story more than the folks we tell it to, but I digress).
First, in order to tell a good story, you have to know what makes a good story. And not all nonprofit leaders have the gift of Irish gab and the temperament to attempt to enthrall a crowd.
So, allow me to share what I have learned about good storytelling, from my experience, my ancestors, and my remarkable clients.
I'll start with three don'ts.
Don't Assume
Chip and Dan Heath make this point quite clearly in the book I mentioned earlier. Let me offer a personal example. I was working with an organization that fights hunger in my home state of New Jersey. Now, I'm lucky. I live in an affluent suburb there and experience all the privilege that comes with it. My view is also somewhat myopic. If someone from this organization wants to tell me a story to motivate me, yes, a personal story will get me, but that person should not assume that I know the magnitude of this problem in my own backyard.
According to the most recent census, of the 8.8 million residents of New Jersey, nearly 1.2 million of them experience food insecurity. Then consider that nearly half a million of those are kids.
If you assume that I already know this information, you miss a huge opportunity to motivate me.
Don't Give Me a List
Lists don't stick. Big things do. Let's look for a minute at AIDS services organizations. At the highest level, we know that these organizations work to fight AIDS. Their vision is a world without it.
Most HIV/AIDS organizations today have a long list of services they provide to folks living with HIV. On the direct service side, you can find legal clinics, mental health services, substance abuse programs, programs aimed specifically at different demographics, HIV testing, syringe access programs, workforce development, and other resources.
Amazing list of services, right? Impressive. But I'm not going to hold on to all of them, and I have no throughline, or common thread.
Don't hit me with a list. Try spelling out what type of problems you can address and what level of assistance you can provide:
“At XYZ organization, we understand that a life with HIV is a journey. We are there every step of the way. We also know that HIV affects every aspect of your life. If your journey involves substance misuse, we are there. Housing discrimination? We are there. Need a hot meal? Join our community for lunch or dinner seven nights a week. At XYZ, we take care of all of you.”
Don't Lead with a Vision That Feels out of Reach
I hope your organization has a vision. Sadly, many don't. But let's just say you do. If you start with vision, you can either emotionally paralyze the listener or cause them to shut down.
Try this wording: We are working to end human slavery worldwide.
Of course, I am impressed. In fact, I'm so impressed that I'm nearly speechless. What question can I ask as a follow‐up? I don't know how to jump in to make this a conversation. Remember that you're inviting folks to converse about the organization. Try to avoid shutting them down.
Let me be clear: I am all for a story that helps me imagine something new and exciting. That's a good thing, indeed.
Emily Klehm, who leads South Suburban Humane Society in Chicago Heights, Illinois, began her tenure in 2007 when a staff of 15 ran a shelter with a budget of less than $1 million. Her budget is now twice that amount, and she is on the verge of securing a grant of more than $6 million to transform what was once known as “The Little Shelter That Could.” This transformation is visionary in all the very best ways.
Emily had me at hello. She talked about the power of pets. I think I made her look at a few photos of my beloved cat Louie and my live stuffed animal dog Charlie. She talked about an animal campus where people and pets can be together, turning shelters into happy places where kids can go to learn about animals on a campus with walking trails. Then she took me to a brand‐new place.
“Do you know one of the main reasons that women do not leave abusive relationships?” I'm thinking Emily has gone astray (sorry for the bad pun). “Women don't want to leave their pets.” My eyes got really wide. “I want a pet‐friendly domestic violence shelter here on our campus,” she said. And that was it. I am actually getting goosebumps as I type. Now that is a vision I want to support. And I told her so. When the grant comes through, I want to help.
One last thing: The tagline for South Suburban Humane Society is “the little shelter that could.” We laughed about needing a new tagline. The organization has outgrown the word little, but the word could says it all. It speaks to the heart of this organization's growth in scope and impact — it's about imagining what is possible.
A COMPELLING STORY
“If the story is not about the hearer, he will not listen. And here I make a rule — a great and interesting story is about everyone or it will not last.” —John Steinbeck, East of Eden
I'm going to take my own advice here and not assume.
Let's talk about the elements of a powerful and compelling story. And to make my point, I will tell the story of my friends Ken and Judy and an organization in New York City called Transportation Alternatives.
Someone to Root ForJudy's story is the story of Transportation Alternatives, the community they have built, and the impact they have had. My friend Judy lost her daughter Ella when Ella was hit by a New York City bus. I've known this family since Ella and our daughter Scout met weekly in a local play group. Ella was special.Judy is our protagonist. Her story is tragic. And my credibility as a messenger is high because of my personal connection. And you want to know more.
Struggle or Conflict“The only thing that kept Judy and Ken ‘alive’ was a need to do something — anything — to make that Brooklyn intersection safer. It had already been identified as one of the most dangerous in the city. But how could they get anyone to pay attention? So much bureaucracy. So much red tape. And they felt they were fighting the battle alone.”The struggle is clear. They want changes to the intersection; no one is paying attention to them.
Empathy“I admire Ken and Judy so much. This could have been my daughter. Or yours. I'd like to think that I would focus on securing a legacy for my daughter.”This is an important part. Put the listener in the shoes of that protagonist. God forbid, if
