Bridging the Gap: The Three Questions that Turn Information into Connection
Narrative Leadership.
Your Way to lead.
Imagine, you’ve prepared the strategy presentation for weeks. The data is solid, the slides are clean, and the message is clear - at least to you. But as you look around the room, you sense it: your audience isn’t connecting. Some nod politely, others glance at their phones. The energy fades.
Every leader knows this moment, when communication doesn’t land, even though everything seemed right. The problem isn’t a lack of information; it’s the gap between what you say and what people feel.
We live inan age of overload. People aren’t short on content; they’re short on clarity, meaning, and emotional connection. To bridge this gap, great communicators answer three essential questions that every listener subconsciously asks:
01 Does it make sense?
The first barrier to engagement is confusion. Your message must be simple enough to be understood instantly. Clarity is not about dumbing down. It’s about stripping away complexity until the core idea shines through. Studies show that people respond more strongly to simple, focused messages than to dense information. When your team can grasp the “what” and the “why” without effort, you’ve already taken the first step toward real influence.
02 Does it matter to me?
Even the clearest message falls flat if it feels irrelevant. People decide within seconds whether something concerns them. Our brains are wired to filter for personal significance. We instinctively tune out what doesn’t serve us. Effective leaders communicate in the listener’s world, not their own. They answer: How does this affect you? What’s in it for us? Why now? Relevance turns passive listeners into active participants.
03 Does it move me?
Informationsparks thought, but emotion drives action. Facts inform the mind, but stories move the heart. Leaders who connect emotionally through authentic stories, empathy, and shared purpose, trigger the hormones of trust and motivation. They don’t just transfer knowledge; they create energy and movement. People don’t remember every slide, but they remember how you made them feel.
