Want to persuade others to take action from your data models and insights? If your analyses suggests a decision-maker is using biased or inaccurate information, don’t start by telling them they’re wrong.

As Tali Sharot points out in The Influential Mind, ‘When you provide someone with new data, they quickly accept evidence that confirms their preconceived notions (what are known as prior beliefs) and assess counter evidence with a critical eye.’ Focusing on shared understanding instead of disagreement creates a path for change.

Rather than challenging assumptions outright, ‘step into their shoes’ and build from what they already know, leading them toward new insights with empathy. In doing so, communications expert Jean-Luc Doumont emphasizes our goal: we must ‘get our audiences to pay attention to, understand, and (be able to) act upon a maximum of messages, given constraints.’ This applies not only to each of our word choices but also to each of our design choices for graphs and tables interwoven into our narrative.

These are some of the principles I teach in my Storytelling with Data course at Columbia, where the goal is to create clarity and understanding that drives action—whether on the court, on the field, or in the boardroom.

Here are some additional tips to help with your argument:

• Craft analogies and examples comparable to the context of your insights.
• Present ideas from a neutral perspective.
• Consider multiple anchors.
• Explain uncertainty and present multiple options.
• Identify where additional data may add to the insights.