Diego Rivera murals at the National Palace in Mexico City

The Art of Persuasive Storytelling

What is Storytelling?

Compelling narratives are important in communicating one’s position. Personally, for me, how can I best communicate my point of view on technical designs and strategy to other engineers and executives? Hollywood and TV shows sounds obvious. However successful politicians, companies and social media influencers are also engaging in it. It is all around us!

For example, as described in this NSQ podcast most individuals, regardless of religious affiliation know the story of Moses and Noah, but even the most devout followers cannot recount all the 10 Commandments.

Another example that comes to mind is about “death panels” when Obamacare was in the works. It evokes emotion, and even though a complete lie, it is nevertheless something that I still remember. Politicians generally present stories of catastrophic outcomes if their position is not adopted and they are also more open to alternate facts.

Technology is no exception, for example, the Y2K stories of imminent apocalypse and more recently the AI Armageddon. I like this summary I generated based on various prompts:

Storytelling is the portrayal of real or fictional events through narrative, often incorporating improvisation, theatrics, or embellishment. It serves multiple purposes, including entertainment, education, cultural preservation, and moral instruction. Key elements such as plot, characters, and narrative point of view are integral to storytelling. It takes various forms, from oral traditions to techniques utilized across different media platforms. Culturally, storytelling is significant as it reflects the unique narratives and traditions of each society, fostering a sense of identity and shared experience among its people.

Visual portrayal of historically accurate and culturally significant events from the National Palace in Mexico City

For example, Diego Rivera’s murals exemplify storytelling in the visual form. Taking cue from the above summary:

• Portrayal of Real or Fictional Events through Narrative: Rivera’s murals depict historical and cultural events, often blending real-life figures and fictional elements to convey a narrative. For example, his murals chronicle the history of Mexico, from ancient civilizations to the Mexican Revolution, through a series of interconnected scenes.
• Incorporation of Improvisation, Theatrics, or Embellishment: Rivera’s style often includes dramatic compositions, vibrant colors, and exaggerated proportions, enhancing the narrative impact of his murals. He sometimes incorporates surreal or fantastical elements to emphasize certain themes or ideas. His use of symbolism and allegory adds depth to the narrative, much like the layers of meaning found in written stories. For example, I liked how Cortez (the Spanish conquistador and antagonist), is depicted as suffering from Greed and is shown as a sickly man.

Cortez afflicted with Greed

• Multiple Purposes — Entertainment, Education, Cultural Preservation, Moral Instruction: Rivera’s murals serve various purposes. They entertain viewers with their visually captivating scenes and storytelling techniques. They also educate audiences about historical events, cultural traditions, and social issues. Additionally, they preserve and celebrate Mexican culture and heritage while conveying moral messages about social justice and the struggles of the working class.
• Key Elements — Plot, Characters, Narrative Point of View: Rivera’s murals feature complex narratives with identifiable plots, characters, and narrative perspectives. He often includes a diverse cast of historical figures, workers, peasants, and indigenous peoples to represent different facets of Mexican society and its struggles.
• Cultural Significance — Reflects Unique Narratives and Traditions of Society: Rivera’s murals are deeply rooted in Mexican culture and history, reflecting the country’s unique narratives and traditions. They celebrate indigenous heritage, depict Mexican revolutionary heroes, and highlight the struggles of the working class, contributing to a sense of national identity and shared experience among Mexicans.

If you are in Mexico City, do visit the National Palace and join the free guided tours that provide an excellent perspective.

The Neuroscience

Now that we understand storytelling, what narratives are more likely to be successful? What about the science for stories that stick? This brings us to neuroscience. The brain has multiple networks, each serving some specific purpose. The scientific names are not important for this discussion and essentially the brain has several specialized networks that work together to allow us to think, perceive the world, focus our attention, and regulate our emotions. One core network allows our minds to wander and daydream when we’re not focused on something specific. Another network kicks in when we need to concentrate and make decisions to accomplish a task or goal. A third network acts like a control tower, determining if we should be focused inwardly on our thoughts or outwardly on the world around us. Separate networks process what we see, hear, and feel through our senses and coordinate our movements. Yet, other networks handle language, attention, and our emotional life like motivation and memory. All these specialized brain networks are constantly interacting and synchronizing their activity in complex ways to produce our rich mental experience and behavior in any given moment.

Engaging stories have the ability of activating these networks in our brains. Narratives that resonate personally prompt our minds to drift and connect with our own lives. Vivid descriptions stimulate the sensory processing areas, immersing us in the tale. Emotional narratives trigger our feelings and anticipation centers, while well-developed characters invoke empathy and perspective-taking. The more a story taps into these diverse brain networks — firing up our imagination, senses, emotions, and social understanding — the more captivating and memorable it becomes. Our brains excel at knitting together information from different regions, transforming mere words into vibrant, enduring mental landscapes.

Story Structure

So, to create such engaging outcomes, there are different structures of stories. In my context, I am thinking about a technical presentation, and the recommended approach is to compose a story with a beginning, middle and end.

• Beginning: Frame the situation
• Middle: Get an emotional reaction
• End: Resolution and learning

Practical Strategies

• Understanding Your Audience: Before you can craft a compelling narrative, you must understand your audience. Who are they? What are their interests, pain points, and aspirations? Whether you’re addressing one person or one hundred, take the time to learn about them — their backgrounds, their preferences, and what motivates them.
• The Origin Story: Every great tale has an origin, a spark that ignited the journey. Where did your idea come from? Was it born from personal experience, a chance encounter, or a burning desire to solve a problem? Share this origin story with your audience, for it lends authenticity and depth to your narrative.
• Balancing Story and Data: While storytelling is powerful, it must be balanced with data and facts. Think of it as a delicate dance — too much data, and you risk losing your audience’s attention; too little, and your story lacks credibility. Weave your data seamlessly into the narrative, using it to support and reinforce your key points.
• The Art of Simplicity: Remember, the human mind can only hold three to seven concepts at a time. Respect your audience’s attention span by keeping your narrative focused and concise. Use analogies, patterns, and familiar concepts to encode information in a way that’s easy to grasp and remember. After all, even the most action-packed movies share a common structure — a hero, a villain, and a journey.

Finally, remember that you are the storyteller, the guide on this journey. Embrace your role with confidence, enthusiasm, and a genuine smile. Your passion and energy will be contagious, drawing your audience deeper into the narrative. Teach them something new, something unexpected, and leave them inspired and empowered.

I hope I have been able to craft a compelling narrative about storytelling! We are hardwired to remember stories far better than dry statistics. From ancient cave paintings to modern-day blockbusters, storytelling has been the universal language that transcends cultures and generations.

If these topics interest you then reach out to me and I will appreciate any feedback. Please refer to LinkedIn.