storytelling with data podcast

What happens in the space between one thing and the next? Whether you’re moving from email to deep thinking, analysis to communication, or one idea to another, these shifts require time and mental energy. In this episode, Cole explores how thoughtfully designing transitions can help you work, think, and communicate more effectively. Discover practical ways to use time, space, movement, and other cues to shift your mindset—and help your audience follow your story. Small changes in how you get from here to there can make a surprisingly big difference. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/112 Join the next cohort of our public 8-week online course: plan, create & deliver - use the code PODCAST10 for 10% off! Book your storytelling with data team training! Episode 83: reflect & refine (sharing statio, a meditative pause during a transition) Episode 6: say it out loud Episode 86: speak so others listen

Waterfall charts are great at showing what happened between where you started and where you ended—but they can look a little strange if you’ve never encountered one before. In this episode, Alli explains what a waterfall chart is, when to use one, and how to make it easier for your audience to read. Plus, she highlights three clever examples from the storytelling with data community that use color, annotations, and even small multiples to make the most of this less-common chart type. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/111 Book your storytelling with data team training! Waterfall chart definition, examples, and the how-to video Waterfall community challenge Jian’s waterfall Keith’s waterfall Andrew’s waterfall

Conveying confidence when presenting often comes down to a few small, intentional choices. Jay Sullivan, author of Simply Said and communication expert at Exec|Comm, shares three simple tweaks that can make an immediate difference. You’ll learn: his smart approach to eye contact what the “Arc of Silence” is and how to use it the helpful acronym “RIDE” to clearly explain a chart that you’re presenting Show notes: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/110 RELATED LINKS Book your storytelling with data team training! Simply Said by Jay Sullivan More about Jay’s work at Exec|Comm Connect with Jay on LinkedIn

Want to make your data story more engaging? Try adding a little tension. Join data storyteller Alli Torban as she explores how tension can create curiosity and keep your audience invested in your story. You’ll learn three simple ways to build tension—expectation versus reality, knowledge tension, and action tension—and see how members of the storytelling with data community put each technique into practice. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Register for our 8-week online course: plan, create, and deliver your data story. September 28th–November 22nd, 2026. Use the code PODCAST10 for 10% off your registration! Join the storytelling with data community! Look through the community exercise submissions for building tension Danny’s submission Miroslav’s submission Regina’s submission Podcast: help! my data story feels boring Book your own custom team training!

What do you do when a leader asks you to find data to prove them right? In this episode, data storytellers Ryan Biesecker and Alli Torban explore the difference between investigating a hypothesis and validating a foregone conclusion. They share practical ways to ask better questions, approach analysis with curiosity, and navigate the tricky situation when the data doesn’t support what your leader expected. Learn how to protect your credibility while respectfully managing upward. SHOW NOTES: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/podcast/108 RELATED RESOURCES: ⁠Register for our virtual, public workshop on August 20, 2026⁠. The next public workshop is November 5, 2026 (use code PODCAST10 for 10% off our public workshops and on-demand courses) Blog: what if my audience wants a different story? Blog: don't fall victim to "the curse of knowledge" Blog: how do I give an unbiased recommendation to my analysis? Community Conversation: around challenges while driving change Podcast: the challenges of change Book your own custom team training!