Sticky Stuff – Made to Stick

I’ve read the classroom assignment “Made to Stick” in my EDU590 and EDU653 class and have enjoyed it both times. It is an assignment that I do not mind reading again and again especially when I have give presentations or speeches. This book aids one in communicating with their audience and getting their point across effectively. My hat is tilted to the Heath brothers (Chip and Dan), who had questions, ideas, and a need to communicate with others. They also had a quest for knowledge as to why people tend to remember information that may or may not be important but can’t remember other information.

My favorite part of “Made to Stick” is the story about a gentleman making a routine flight, accepting a drink from an attractive female stranger and waking up in a bathtub full of ice with a kidney missing. This time I had my husband and my 16 year old to read the book for more than reasons one. I love it because of the Heath brother’s basic principles which are SUCCESs and it stands for:

S – Simplicity: a one-sentence statement so profound that an individual could spend a lifetime learning to follow it.

U – Unexpectedness: Engage people’s curiosity over a long period of time by systematically “opening gaps” in their knowledge – and then filling those gaps.

C – Concreteness: Speaking concretely is the only way to ensure that our idea will mean the same thing to everyone in our audience. Ideas must be explained in terms of human actions, sensory information.

C – Credibility: A “try before you buy” philosophy for the world of ideas. Make people believe your ideas.

E – Emotions: Get people to care about your ideas, make them feel something.

S – Stories: Hearing stories acts as a kind of mental flight simulator, preparing you to respond quickly and effectively.

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