When people think of advocating for their ideas, they think of convincing arguments based on data, facts, and figures. However, studies show that if you share a story, people are often more likely to be persuaded. And when data and story are used together, audiences are moved both intellectually and emotionally. When telling a story, you take the listener on a journey, moving them from one perspective to another.

A social psychologist, Jennifer Aaker is the General Atlantic Professor of Marketing at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. Her research spans time, money and happiness. She co-authored the award-winning book, "The Dragonfly Effect: Quick Effective Powerful Ways to Harness Social Media for Impact." A recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award, Citibank Best Teacher Award, and George Robbins Best Teacher Award, she teaches courses like Social Brands, Designing Happiness, and How to Tell a Story.

Aaker received her PhD in Marketing, PhD Minor in Psychology, from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She earned her BA in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.

Read the discussion guide and find other resources at Stanford's Clayman Institute for Gender Research: http://gender.stanford.edu/harnessing-power-story
Learn more about Jennifer Aaker: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/users/jaaker