I think this is a must read for anyone who is passionate about having their ideas heard whether they are large or small. It is especially crucial for entrepreneurs who are trying to cultivate a product, motivate employees, and grow a company.
The premise of the book is how the “Curse of Knowledge” can impede a person who has ideas from effectively influencing others. Think back to college, the one class you almost-failed-out-of because you were either bored out of your mind or the professor was sitting so high in his ivory tower that you didn’t learn the essence of the subject. Made to Stick tries to tackle that problem by giving readers the following tips.
“Dont bury the lead”: if you’ve ever read a NYT article or anything sensationalistic you’ll see that the first thing the writer has done is presented the reader with a hook which is often times the headline or the opening sentence. Then they proceed to back it up with details and facts, but presenting this information first causes readers to loose interest or get lost in the myriad of minutiae.
“Follow Succes to test for stickiness”: The first “S” is for simple – the tagline for ideas should be simple and help people understand the direction of the idea. “U” is unexpected – creating curiosity gaps using mystery keeps people hooked, this is highly applicable to presentations and teaching. “C” concrete – people don’t respond well to abstractions, it helps to have a image for them to understand the gist of the idea. “Credible” – credibility is important, i.e. backing up ideas with authority figures and stats, but often time impossible if the person presenting the idea is a newbie to the field. In such cases, he will have to rely on “E’ and the final “S”. “E” emotional – does it touch people, or have a human interest component to it. And the final “S” storytelling – it is more compelling than stats or facts.
Some of the initial case studies used are long, but they help convey how to create a sticky idea. The author also does a good job of reviewing the concepts at the end, which helps them stick!
