Your Movement’s Narrative Will Determine Its Future

Social Movement Trend Series, Part 3

Before we dig into how to create a narrative for the moveable middle, I want to reiterate something I said a couple of years ago: “A movement’s ability to create a narrative that is understood and adopted by the people whose views can be changed will determine its future.” (PND )

I stand by that statement even more strongly today. Moreover, I believe that social movements’ inability or unwillingness to methodically and intentionally reach out to this “moveable middle” has contributed to the polarization we see in society today.

The call for the civil and social sectors to take responsibility for bringing Americans together to solve problems isn’t new. Take this small sample of essays from the Stanford Social Innovation Review:

• How to Use Stories to Bring ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ Together , 2019: “If organizations are not intentional about how they share stories, they can end up speaking only to people who see the world as they do, thus further entrenching divisions.” To engage people “beyond the choir,” movement leaders must design experiences that people in the middle want to join. They can start by creatively identifying places where people who might not already support their cause naturally gather.

• Civic Virtues and the Healing of Partisan Divide , 2018: “If we are to arrest and ultimately reverse this decline [of a strong and healthy free society], civil society leaders and organizations must first recognize that civil society, like every other major sector of American life, has contributed in important ways to this polarizing dynamic. Too many of us and our organizations have sorted ourselves out along ideological lines, live and work within ideological bubbles, and galvanize our supporters by demonizing those on the other side.”

• Real-World Collaboration in Times of Polarization , 2014: When leading or participating in a collaborative effort, it’s important to remember that it won’t happen by itself. It needs nudging, follow up, tools, and incentives. Participants should include organizations and individuals with differing opinions, and work hard to find opportunities to compromise. Leave the hot-button issues at home to start. Standing up for the collective good is good for you and good for your organization.

Rather than focusing on combating populations that have deeply held beliefs, I hope you now are ready to put in the work (research and resources) to recruit people who are uncertain, confused or just haven’t decided what they feel about your issue. If so, then let’s talk about getting them to embrace your narrative.

Narrative creation and adoption

As we have touched on throughout this series, you cannot send the same message to people in the middle/undecided that you send to the devoted. People who already agree with you may respond to a single call to action; for people who aren’t sure where they stand, this type of message isn’t going to suddenly make up their minds.?

Neither is one marketing or fundraising campaign that’s not supported with concurrent, sustained messaging over time. People simply do not adopt narratives that are created and disseminated in this way.

Why? Because the audience doesn’t grasp the issue well enough, or understand your point of view, or are confused by the conflicting information they see and hear. If you have not taken the time and effort to learn about and address these gaps, then even the cleverest words and graphics will disappear into the wind.

All this is part of the concept of “narrative adoption ,” which requires creating a message that resonates with your audience. The overarching purpose of your narrative is behavior change, something that doesn’t come naturally to humans. If you have ever tried to get a partner or child to change the way they have always done something, you will understand the challenge ahead of you.

Messages to the undecided must be able to be grasped quickly and understood easily so individuals can move on to the next bit of information and the next until they act. Recipients must be able to clearly see the benefit your position offers to them and to people affected by the issue.?

It’s like any relationship: You have to give a little to get a little. By showing your willingness to listen to the middle’s/undecided questions and doubts and move toward where they are rather than expecting an immediate, unquestioning response.

If you missed Part 2 in this trend series, it’s here . This is the final article in this series. Stay tuned for the next trend series!