During our Berlin RevOpsAF conference, we tried something new: table topics over lunch. Folks picked a subject they knew well, and others could join to ask questions and trade ideas. Yes, it’s a little American to turn lunch into a growth opportunity, but people were into it.
At one table, we dove into KPIs and board reporting. When I brought up using classic persuasion tactics (Logos, Ethos, Pathos, Kairos), one revenue operator hesitated. It felt too much like manipulation.
That reaction? Super common. No one wants to feel like they’re gaming the system. But here’s the thing: if you’re not skewing the data or pushing an off-base agenda, you’re not manipulating—you’re communicating effectively.
Ethical data storytelling just means skipping the 30-slide legal brief and zeroing in on what your audience actually cares about.
Most of us aren’t trained to sell. And for people who spend a lot of time behind the scenes, “persuasion” can feel suspicious—like you’re putting polish on something that doesn’t deserve it.
We've all been on the receiving end of that kind of pitch. It’s gross.
But good data storytelling isn’t about cherry-picking or self-promotion. It’s about context and connection. The best sellers I know are honest to a fault. They’d rather walk away from a bad-fit deal than waste time—and that integrity builds trust.
If RevOps pros don’t learn to tailor insights to the motivations of their audience, we risk being seen as tactical ticket-takers instead of strategic partners.
It’s simple: ethical data storytelling is using the right data to connect with the right people in the right way.
You’re not fudging the numbers or hiding bad news. You’re framing the problem in a way your audience can absorb and act on.
Example:
ARR is up 15% YoY. Seems great, right? But churn is up 20%, which means CS should care.
Sales is closing more deals—but for how long? A growing churn rate could hurt their future pipeline.
Product might care more about why customers are leaving—so show them usage and feature adoption data.
Same data. Same goal. Different story, based on who’s listening.
Once you know what each team or leader cares about (their KPIs are usually a dead giveaway), you’re ready to build presentations that land.
Here’s how:
Don't rely on dashboards and hope they’ll connect the dots. You’re the translator. You spend all day with the data—they don’t. Make it digestible.
Bonus tip:
If you’re bringing up a new issue in a standing meeting, send a short pre-read tailored to the right stakeholder. Use the meeting to present the solution, not just the problem.
Let’s be clear:
✅ Ethical storytelling = surfacing problems in a way that earns buy-in.
❌ Manipulation = hiding tradeoffs, sugarcoating issues, or spinning failure as success.
When you tell the right story with honesty and empathy, you build trust. You help the business focus on what matters. And you protect your insights from being hijacked by someone with a louder voice or a different agenda.
Because if you don’t tell the story, someone else will—and they might get it wrong.
Storytelling isn’t a soft skill. It’s a sharp edge. Used ethically, it’s how you move the business forward and elevate the work RevOps does every day.
So no, it’s not manipulation.
It’s clarity. It’s strategy.
And it’s your job.
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