Dear David: What can I do to convince people to use Values Thinking?

This is a real Q + A between myself and Alexandra Salamis that happened on LinkedIn messaging. Her question forced me to think about the one or two most powerful convincing bits I have found so far. Seemed like it would be a good idea to share them with everyone!

• Alexandra Salamis  5:54 AM

  Hi David, In my consulting work with organizations I find that people have embraced and identify themselves in the demographic categories (especially the millennial one) so much that, for example, they build their training offerings around them (e.g. what millennials want). I am wondering if you have tips about how to move people off the demographic channel and to the values channel? How do we get people to shift/change the lens through which they make sense of who they are, what they want and what they believe in? Cheers Alex

• David Allison  6:08 AM

  That's the question I have been battling for the last 4 years as I try to get the word out! The best moments - when I see the cartoon lightbulb going on over someone's head - are around two things. The first one is a story I tell over-and-over again called "Three friends in an alley at midnight." If you have somehow missed this online (lol!) I will send it to you. The other moment is when I quote stats from the dataset about how dissimilar people are who fit into various demographic categories. I'm sure you have seen those too? If not let me know and I will also send those along.

• Alexandra Salamis  6:12 AM

  Thanks, David!

  Please send "Three friends in an alley at midnight." story. I have seen the stats.

  Best A

• David Allison  7:02 AM

  I made these slides for you: a graphic version of the stats you've seen about how often people within a demographic cohort agree with each other.

  Keep in mind these stats are from 100,000 surveys in North America in a random strat stat rep, and that the numbers for the entire world (a half-million surveys) vary by only a point or two in either direction. They are accurate to +/- 3.5% with a confidence of 95%. 

  I also uploaded a homemade video to YouTube for you, from a podcast recording session of the story about "Three Friends in an Alley at Midnight."

  Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDBtlwrrg58

  The power and popularity of this story really is a testament to the impact a good story can have. I've used it hundreds of times and it always helps people "get it" more quickly than all the rest of the hand-waving and over-talking that I am prone to do! 😁 I hope these things help you convince more people that Values Thinking is the best way forward! 

  David

• Alexandra Salamis  8:32 AM

  Many thanks for all this!!! Cheers! Alex