In this annotated version of my TEDx talk I consider why we often seem to ignore facts whilst being perfectly happy to believe nonsense? We can learn from our opponents and I present a few lessons from both sides that I hope will help people change...oh and there's a little tribute to Spock who sadly died just before our event took place

1. “Why facts done change people”
Scott D McArthur
TEDx Warwick 2015

2. “Hands up if you would change your diet if
a medical doctor told you that you have a
particular type of heart disease which if
you don’t radically change your diet there
was a 99% chance that you would die soon
if you didn’t”

3. …wouldn't change even in these life changing circumstances

4. So here is
another story…..

5. …heard about the
Yale Goal study?

7. So I wondered: “why is there such a gap
between the findings of science, academia
research vs the practice of businesses and
individuals?” and why do we seem to be
drawn to the guru rather than the
scientist?

8. I’m from the darkside

9. I have spent almost a quarter of a century
working in “Human Resources” and as if that isn’t
bad enough, I also worked for 9 years as a
“Business Consultant”. Neither profession could
be described as bullshit free.

10. “Thud Factor”

11. Solutions in search
of a problem

12. A few years ago I had a life changing
experience of my own….

13. “…from “human
remains” to
“human
resources”…”

14. Cognitive Dissonance
“why the apparent difference
between academia and business”?

15. “It is not the strongest of the
species that survives, nor the
most intelligent…it is the one
that is most adaptable to
change“
Charles Darwin

16. Woops

17. Pay walls and academic “English”

18. Abstract

19. Rigour
v
Practice

20. …when people with strong beliefs are
faced with equally strong, opposing
beliefs (or facts), their beliefs often
become stronger.

21. …the facts don’t work?

22. “…the principle that evidence
from independent, unrelated
sources can "converge" to
strong conclusions”
Consilience

23. Stronger
conclusions

24. So what can we
learn from the
scientist and the
guru without
taking sides?

25. Describe your
facts/findings
as a story

26. Create a good first impression

27. Appeal to the audiences emotions
or needs

28. Use authority(but not too much)

29. Investment and commitment
to the outcome is important

30. Encouraging a tribal culture

31. Check
ALL
of the “facts”

32. Facts don’t change
people, understanding
them does
Facts don’t change
people understanding
them does

33. …and from the scientist?
“Logic is the beginning of wisdom not the end”
Thanks Spock

34. To see my full talk click on
the image below: