Making it Stick

It's beginning to look like Christmas. I forced myself to start decorating and maybe today, the outdoor lights will go up. My reading this week has included Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Dan and Chip Heath. I found it fascinating!
As a teacher and to some extent, teacher educator knowing what makes ideas stick, is important. This book is highly readable and as you read, you think, "that makes sense".
How do we get ideas to stick? How do we make people remember?
Keep it the message simple (what's most important). Be unexpected to get people's attention and keep their attention by opening and filling knowledge gaps. Be concrete, for example, we remember a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. The ideas have to be credible, people have to be able to test ideas out for themselves. Use emotion. We are wired to feel for people rather than abstractions. Finally, use stories. Research shows that mentally rehearsing a situation helps us perform better when we encounter that situation in the physical environment. Stories act as a kind of mental flight simulator, preparing us to respond more quickly and effectively.
To create a successful idea, you need Simple Unexpected Concrete Credentialed Emotional Story to gain SUCCESs. Great reading and a change from my usual professional development reads!