Are you seeking a “bridge builder” to unite marketing and finance around your brand plans?
If you are you’re not alone but now help is at hand.
We all use words, but not all of us can use numbers as well. Successful people, teams and business can do both by getting complementary skills to work together. This is isn’t easy and can become an obstacle to making progress at a personal, professional and brand level. Why is this problem so intractable and can it be overcome? Who can overcome it and how do you find them? All will be revealed through this long-form article written by Savio CEO, Julian Dailly.
“Numbers have an important story to tell. They rely on you to give them a clear and convincing voice.”
Words vs. Numbers
The main differences between words and numbers are that words are subjective and creative, while numbers are objective and analytical. Words are used to communicate concepts and ideas, while numbers are used to measure, quantify, and analyze.
Words are often used to create stories and express emotions, while numbers are used to provide facts and evidence. Additionally, words can be used to persuade, while numbers can be used to inform.
Not just different, better….
Some people think numbers are better than words because they are objective, reliable, and provide clear evidence. Numbers are often seen as more trustworthy. Numbers can provide insights into trends and patterns, which can be used to inform strategy and planning. Boiled down, numbers are often assumed to be “scientific” and some of the most powerful people in business are also highly numerate, number-champions.
The conflation of numbers, science and power have the effect of relegating other mediums of representation, especially within business.
Not only is this arguably a form of discrimination, it’s also a completely missed opportunity to increase the diversity of perspectives brought the executive management of any business or organisation.
“Words are the most powerful force in the universe. They have the ability to inspire, motivate, and move people to action”
Why are some people better than others at using numbers?
Some people are better than others at numerical reasoning due to a variety of factors, including innate ability, education, and experience. People who are better at numerical reasoning tend to be better at problem solving, decision making, and analyzing data.
The implications of this discrepancy in business and society in general are far-reaching. Those who are better at numerical reasoning tend to have an advantage in the job market, and can be more successful in their professional careers. In addition, organizations and businesses can benefit from having employees who are better at numerical reasoning, since they are better equipped to understand and analyze data to make informed decisions. Finally, numerical reasoning can be an important tool for understanding and predicting social and economic trends, allowing for better decision making on a societal level.
But what can people who are not good at numbers often do better?
People who are not highly numeric often have other compensatory skills that can be beneficial in certain contexts. These can include strong communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, as well as creativity and innovation.
Additionally, many people who are not highly numeric are often skilled in areas such as visual design, writing, and storytelling, which can be valuable for marketing and branding purposes. Furthermore, people who are not highly numeric may excel in areas such as customer service, project management, and organizational skills.
“Numbers make the world go round. Without numbers, we can’t measure, understand, or even begin to comprehend the complexity of the world around us.”
Why are numbers seen as being more important than words in business?
Numbers are seen as being more important than words in business because they provide a more concrete and objective way of measuring success and understanding performance. Numbers are also essential for tracking progress and making decisions based on data and analytics. Additionally, numbers can be used to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, as well as customer satisfaction, which can help inform decisions and strategies.
Critically, as a dominant narrative within business is money and making money, numeracy is prized because it links directly to this goal: the evaluation of financial performance. Numeracy allows businesses to measure profitability, efficiency, and growth.
However, a strong argument is that the skills associated with people with poor or average numeracy are actually the driving force behind these outcomes, and without this critical input there would be lower performance.
Despite the importance of numbers in business, most if not all businesses are actually run through processes that hinge on effective communication and management, where words play a critical role in the effectiveness of outcomes.
“Don’t ever diminish the power of words. Words move hearts and hearts move limbs.”
Clarity and Direction
Words are essential in managing processes because they provide clarity and direction. Words are used to articulate goals and objectives, define roles and responsibilities, and give instructions on how a process should be carried out. Words also help to ensure that everyone involved in a process understands the requirements and expectations. Furthermore, words are used to document processes and procedures, which helps to ensure that processes are consistently followed and can be easily shared with new team members. Finally, words can be used to document changes and improvements to processes, allowing them to be easily implemented and tracked.
One of the hardest jobs to do is translate numbers into words
One of the challenges in transposing numbers into language in business contexts is finding the right balance between accuracy and clarity. Numbers often contain a lot of data, but it can be difficult to communicate that data effectively without losing accuracy or clarity.
Additionally, it can be difficult to determine which data points are most important to communicate, as well as how to present the data in a way that is easy to understand. Furthermore, it can be difficult to convey complex data in an accessible and meaningful way, which can be especially challenging in a fast-paced business environment.
Lastly, because numbers are representative of reality, there is often a major hang-up amongst their custodians and audiences about their accuracy.
Hiding behind numbers
However, this fixation is often a cloak to hide behind and a means of minimising the role of context-driven interpretation. It can waste the resources of time, money and effort as people work towards the highest levels of accuracy. It can also squeeze-out valuable actions like context-driven interpretation and subjective reactions based on personal perceptions and experience.
These often opposing world-views can create a tension. If businesses over-focus on accuracy their view of the world, of events and the options going forward can then lack clarity.
This is a major downside of the triumph of numeracy within many business settings.
“Numbers don’t lie. They provide an objective truth that can help companies make the best decisions possible.”
Accuracy vs. Clarity
When businesses focus too much on accuracy to the detriment of clarity, they can end up with reports and data that are difficult to interpret and understand. This can lead to confusion, mistakes, and misinterpretations, which can have a negative impact on decision making and performance.
Additionally, when businesses focus too much on accuracy, they can miss out on opportunities to communicate the data in a more engaging, meaningful, and effective way. Finally, focusing too much on accuracy can lead to a lack of creativity and innovation, as businesses may become too focused on the details instead of looking for ways to improve and optimize.
Who’s better at what?
Numbers: Data analysts, statisticians, and financial analysts. These roles involve interpreting and analyzing data, as well as making decisions based on numerical data.
Words: Marketers, copywriters, and public relations professionals. These roles involve creating content, crafting stories, and communicating messages.
How can these two groups of professionals be united or helped to work with each other more productively?
These two groups of professionals can be united and helped to work more productively by focusing on their shared goals and objectives. They can collaborate to develop strategies and tactics that combine words and numbers to create effective and impactful messaging.
Additionally, they can learn from each other by sharing their expertise and knowledge. For example, data analysts can help marketers understand how to interpret data, while marketers can help data analysts understand how to communicate data in a meaningful and engaging way.
Finally, they can work together to develop processes and systems that incorporate both words and numbers to ensure accuracy and clarity.
“Don’t tell me words don’t matter. I have a dream – Just words? We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal – Just words? Don’t tell me words don’t matter!”
What sort of person can get highly numeric and highly literate people working together productivity?
The sort of person who can help these two groups work together is a bridge builder – someone who can understand the perspectives of both groups and facilitate a productive and collaborative relationship.
Bridge builders have strong communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to think critically and think outside the box. They have a deep understanding of both words and numbers, as well as the ability to translate between the two. Bridge builders are also highly organized and have the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
Businesses can benefit from improving collaboration between highly numerate and highly employees by creating more effective and impactful messaging. By combining the numerical expertise of data analysts with the creative insight of marketers, businesses can develop strategies and tactics that are informed by both words and numbers. Additionally, businesses can use this collaboration to create more accurate and reliable data, which can lead to better decision making and improved performance. Finally, businesses can benefit from improved collaboration by creating an atmosphere of innovation and creativity, which can lead to new products, services, and processes.
Pro Tips: Making data presentations more inclusive
Focus on key data points: Businesses should focus on the key data points that are most relevant to their decision making and that will have the most impact.
Simplify the presentation: Businesses should use visuals and other tools to simplify the data and make it easier to understand.
Contextualize the data: Businesses should provide context for the data to help people understand how it fits into the overall picture.
Use storytelling: Businesses should use storytelling to present the data in a more engaging and memorable way.
Involve stakeholders: Businesses should involve stakeholders throughout the process to ensure that everyone understands the data and how it can be used.
Find a Bridge Builder on Savio: 5 search tips
Look for an experienced market researcher with a demonstrable understanding of both words and numbers in a business setting.
Market researchers that are skilled in spotting trends and find patterns through data analysis.
Look for an ability to communicate information in a meaningful and engaging way to non-technical audiences. This will make your project’s outputs easier to share across the organisation.
Include a test or challenge in your brief that will help you select candidates and potential vendor - you can ask Savio to help you here
Most importantly, look for market researchers who have experience synthesising quantitative and qualitative data. These people are uniquely qualified to build the bridge between accuracy and clarity within a business context.
