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cover of episode 189. Numbers Need Narrative: Use Data to Influence and Inspire

189. Numbers Need Narrative: Use Data to Influence and Inspire

2025/3/4
logo of podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
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Miro Kazakoff
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Miro Kazakoff: 数据是客观的，但人是主观的。有效的沟通始于同理心，理解你的听众如何做决策，需要什么信息才能改变他们的决策。与其问听众想看到什么，不如问他们如何做决策以及需要什么信息来改变他们的决策。 要避免知识诅咒，即难以从听众的角度理解信息。让其他人（即使不是专家）审查你的数据，可以帮助你发现信息中哪些部分难以理解。 图表比表格更适合向对问题不甚了解的受众展示数据，因为图表能更快地展示比较结果。在演示数据时，要引导观众理解图表中的每一个视觉元素，这样才能确保观众理解数据。 在演示开始时，只提供听众已经认同为真的背景信息；背景信息应该尽可能靠近它所应用的数据。 在用数据讲故事时，首先要关注相关性，并确保逻辑支持清晰；然后，再用具体的例子（故事）来补充。不要连续地呈现大量数据而没有建立联系，要确保数据之间有逻辑联系。不要为了讲故事而编造数据或夸大数据，要确保故事与数据相符。 成功的沟通需要：1. 假设你对情况的理解与他人不同；2. 了解你的听众；3. 关注结构，确保逻辑框架正确。 Matt Abrahams: 在与Miro Kazakoff的对话中，我学习到如何有效地利用数据进行沟通和说服。我们讨论了如何避免知识诅咒，如何通过可视化有效地引导听众，以及如何在数据沟通中运用叙事技巧。我们还探讨了背景信息的重要性以及如何将原始数据转化为有说服力的故事。

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Why numbers are only as compelling as the narratives we attach to them.

Facts and figures can be your friend, but before you load your presentation full of data, Miro Kazakoff) has a word of caution: “Data’s objective, but people are not.”

You might think that your data speaks for itself, but Kazakoff says numbers need a narrative. A senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and author of Persuading with Data: A Guide to Designing, Delivering, and Defending Your Data), he says the key to making data persuasive isn't about showing more information — it's about understanding your audience well enough to know how to relay it in a way that will connect with them. "The people who get good at this are not so much the people who can talk and draw graphs well, but the people who can listen the best. It starts with is empathy.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart), Kazakoff joins Matt Abrahams to explore how to transform complex data into clear, compelling communication. From avoiding the "curse of knowledge" to effectively orienting your audience through visualizations, he shares practical strategies for making your data not just informative, but persuasive.

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Chapters:

  • (00:00) - Introduction

  • (02:14) - How to Use Data Persuasively

  • (04:01) - The Curse of Knowledge in Data Communication

  • (06:26) - The Best Way to Present Data Visually

  • (08:41) - The Role of Context in Making Data Meaningful

  • (10:53) - Orienting Your Audience When Presenting Data

  • (13:29) - Storytelling in Data Communication

  • (15:30) - The Final Three Questions

  • (20:29) - Conclusion

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