From the day we’re born to the day we die, we’re figuring out how to persuade people. We are aware that we can’t do much of anything alone. We can only create the future we want to see by bringing other people with us on our journey. We understand the importance of gaining enrolment, getting agreement or effecting some kind of change of heart.

I’ve realised that there is no such thing as a bad idea or a good idea. There is only the wrong story or the right story. The right story is one that is trusted. It is believed because it is told by the right person, for the right reasons, in the right way, at the right time, to the right people.

The Change Journey consists of four parts: attention, connection, persuasion, and action.

Whether in our roles as lovers or leaders, we achieve the right outcome by telling the right story to the right person at the right time. The phrase ‘on the same page’ aptly describes the shared understanding we need to move forward.

We mistakenly believe that changemaking and persuasion are only about getting someone’s attention by creating awareness of an issue or option, and then presenting people with rational arguments that will convince them to make choices we find desirable. But both the science and what we ourselves witness in the world around us prove otherwise.

Engagement is the act of communicating with conviction and empathy to build trust.

1. Acknowledgement The person recognises a problem or unmet need. 2. Awareness The person accepts that change is desirable and possible and begins investigating solutions. 3. Agency The person becomes confident about their power to create change and more motivated to make a decision. 4. Adoption The person comes to a decision or becomes committed to a

‘Stories that are personal and emotionally compelling engage more of the brain, and thus are better remembered, than simply stating a set of facts.’ They also proved that ‘when the brain synthesizes oxytocin, people are more trustworthy, generous, charitable, and compassionate.’

In the field of education, unplanned opportunities to convey insight to a student in the classroom are known as ‘teachable moments.’