Stories Influence Change

I recently read Influencer The Power to Change Anything by Kerry Patterson and the people at VitalSmarts. I recommend the book to everyone who wants to influence others to improve themselves.

Great influencers use stories to illustrate their point and motivate people to change. The authors share several powerful stories in the book. I have time to only highlight two:

Preventing Aids in Thailand One person, Dr. Wiwat cut new infections of AIDS in Thailand by 80%. "The government estimates that over 5 million people who should have been infected weren't." Dr. Wiwat accomplished this feat by focusing to change one vital behavior. He dedicated his efforts to convincing the sex workers in Thailand to only accept clients willing to practice safe sex. Consequently, the spread of AIDS slowed significantly.

Eradicating the Guinea Worm Dr. Donald Hopkins and his colleagues at the Carter Center eradicated the Guinea Worm from 50% of the worlds waterways. This horribly painful worm burrowed its way under the skin and to the intestinal tract. It grew to 3-5 feet, then began burrowing back to the skin. The excruciating pain caused by the acid they excrete drives the infected person to jump into the water supply. The worm breaks through the skin laying thousands of eggs in the water. Thus begins the cycle anew.

Dr. Hopkins and his group convinced villagers to implement 3 vital behaviors that eliminated the threat. First, they taught village women to strain the water by pouring it through a cloth from one jar to another. Second, they taught everyone who was infected to stay away from the water. Third, they taught people to watch for villagers who were infected, and keep them from the water. Following these practices eradicated the worm within two years from that village.

In both cases, Drs Wiwat and Hopkins enlisted local heroes to tell the stories that convinced the people that changing behavior was worth it, and that they were able to make the change.

I will share more about how influence change in the next two blogs, but encourage readers to get Influencer and read it for themselves.