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“Why facts done change people” Scott D McArthur
TEDx Warwick 2015
“Hands up if you would change your diet if a medical doctor told you that you have a particular type of heart disease which if
you don’t radically change your diet there was a 99% chance that you would die soon
if you didn’t”
…wouldn't change even in these life changing circumstances
So here is another story…..
…heard about the Yale Goal study?
So I wondered: “why is there such a gap between the findings of science, academia research vs the practice of businesses and individuals?” and why do we seem to be
drawn to the guru rather than the scientist?
I’m from the darkside
I have spent almost a quarter of a century working in “Human Resources” and as if that isn’t
bad enough, I also worked for 9 years as a “Business Consultant”. Neither profession could
be described as bullshit free.
“Thud Factor”
Solutions in search of a problem
A few years ago I had a life changing experience of my own….
“…from “human remains” to
“human resources”…”
Cognitive Dissonance
“why the apparent difference between academia and business”?
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent…it is the one
that is most adaptable to change“
Charles Darwin
Woops
Pay walls and academic “English”
Abstract
Rigour v
Practice
…when people with strong beliefs are faced with equally strong, opposing beliefs (or facts), their beliefs often
become stronger.
…the facts don’t work?
“…the principle that evidence from independent, unrelated
sources can "converge" to strong conclusions”
Consilience
Stronger conclusions
So what can we learn from the
scientist and the guru without taking sides?
Describe your facts/findings
as a story
Create a good first impression
Appeal to the audiences emotions or needs
Use authority (but not too much)
Investment and commitment to the outcome is important
Encouraging a tribal culture
Check ALL
of the “facts”
Facts don’t change people, understanding
them does
Facts don’t change people understanding
them does
…and from the scientist? “Logic is the beginning of wisdom not the end”
Thanks Spock
To see my full talk click on the image below: