Roeth: Sharing stories

I talk a lot about storytelling as a way for NACFE to share information. I know we also share a lot of data, statistics, and facts. We need solid, unbiased information, but I think it is in the storytelling that we make the biggest impact. Moreover, the best stories include facts and examples to enhance the narrative.

The value of being a storyteller was something I researched before I began writing this blog. I learned that storytelling is not new; it’s been around for centuries and is a part of the history of many cultures.

According to an article in Forbes, “stories cut through the noise and capture attention. They help you make your content memorable and easy to recall.” A good story captivates the reader or listener, and it can persuade or inspire them to take action.

An article in Berkely ExecEd cited a book by Nancy Duarte in which she said, “Stories are the most powerful delivery tool for information, more powerful and enduring than any other art form.”

As NACFE has evolved through the years, I think we have gotten better at telling stories. Or maybe it’s just that we are sharing our stories in a variety of ways. We are much more adept at using video and social media to tell our stories than we were in the past. In addition, we are incorporating a wide range of people in our videos.

We are not quite finished with all the site visits for Run on Less – Messy Middle, so I can’t give you a final count on the number of people we have spoken with; however, for Run on Less – Electric DEPOT, we talked to 122 different people at the 10 featured fleet depots. And every one of them was featured in at least one video in which they got to tell their story.

See also: Roeth: Wade into the Messy Middle

We are not only sharing NACFE’s stories but also those of fleets, manufacturers, and other industry participants that are making amazing strides in moving trucking into a greener freight future. All the people featured in our videos—many of whom are early adopters of technology or are fuel efficiency evangelists—are invested in inspiring others to re-evaluate their operations and get more from a gallon of fuel or to add alternative-fueled vehicles so they operate more cleanly.

We can all spout facts about why trucking needs to decarbonize, however, hearing stories from folks who are doing the hard work, making the investments, and also reaping the benefits is far more inspiring than reciting a litany of facts and figures.

We are going to continue telling stories; in fact, the first fleet profiles for Run on Less – Messy Middle will start appearing on the Run On Less website on August 1. We will be posting a new profile every other day throughout the month before we start gathering the data from the participating trucks and posting them on the dashboard. But we’ll also continue with our storytelling through Stories from the Run videos that will post to the website throughout the Run.

Not only do I enjoy telling stories, but I also enjoy hearing them. So, the next time I run into you, make sure you tell me one of your favorite freight efficiency stories.