What fact do you know to be true? Have you confirmed the hypothesis? I know gravity is a generally agreed-upon truth, but I do not completely comprehend the science and mathematical equations that prove its existence. When I run, I expect my feet to reach for the ground and strike with some level of force. My gut senses this before my brain.

When approached to support a cause and an organizational advocate starts with data, I often ask them for their story about how they got interested in the work. Enter the engagement with a narrative and shift to confirmation with facts. For this reason, I commence consulting engagements with Magnetic North, which involves the articulation of purpose, vision, mission, and values. My experience has confirmed most participants show greater attachment to the purpose and values because those articulations better capture emotions. The vision and mission trend toward factual representations.

How might we embrace emotions, even when we retain overwhelming research that confirms our impact?