“Data tells people what happened. Story tells people what it means.”
The Stories Behind the Stories David
Sometimes not knowing is the advantage.
That’s what my manager taught me when I first began this work.
And it’s why David’s story works across every role, every industry and every sector.
I wrote David’s story because it’s a challenge I’ve observed people encounter in their working life. Technical expertise that goes unrecognised. Not because the person isn’t capable. Because nobody can see the thinking behind the work. The person with the deepest understanding isn’t always the one who shapes the decision. That gap — between what someone knows and what others can see — is what David’s story is about. In this episode of The Stories Behind the Stories, I go deeper into the failure, success and passion stories behind the character — and into the real pattern I was observing when I wrote him.
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A Note to Readers
Every Thursday a new episode of The Stories Behind the Stories continues.
From May 2026 — each new episode will be free for one week.
After that it goes behind the subscriber paywall.
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That’s how this work finds the people it’s meant for.
After one week each episode joins the back catalogue — available to subscribers only.
If this resonates, you’ll find a daily thought on working life in School of WorkLife Reading Room — a LinkedIn group, Monday to Friday.
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