I attended some training in Feb sponsored by Americans for Prosperity at the State building. Here are some of my notes on how to change hearts and minds. Any inaccuracies is the fault of the note taker. This is an entry to caucus corner.

– Public: short attentions span mainstream bias apathetic. And ignorance in general of what is going on
– Overtone window is a phrase to represent a set of ideas those at first objectionable but eventually becomes acceptable and believable. Some things on the internet or crazy. Some things are not accepted by society. How do you make our idea acceptable?
– Solutions to move the Overton window mindset.
– The first step is storytelling: we all tell stories in our life. Sometimes we freeze when we have an important story to tell. Stories re how we communicate with each other.
– Ted talk by Simon sinick; start with our why ted talk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4
– Look at the organizations that are successful in communizing their why.
– People buy why you do it.
7 ways to tell a compelling story
– 1. Keep your focus on the audience. Know your audiences. Put your audience’s needs and preferences first.
– What is in the story that is impracticable to them?
– 2. Have a single message. Keep your single message a priory.
– Don’t get caught up in the other things
– 3. Have story introductions
– Disney introduces their characters 2. Share with their problem and 3. Wraps up the story
– Introduce the impacted person/ situations and characters. Show the obstacles they face. Second, how are they dealing with the problem? Wrap up with a resolution. Tell how the problem is resolved. You need to create characters. It can be you or a member of the public. You want to give your audience something they can identify with.
– 4. Create characters.
– 5. Include the facts journals who, what, where, when and why answered in story.
– 6. developed dramatic tension. Play on emotion. Make your why impactful. Action makes your story relevant. Your story needs to create tension.
– 7. be aware of all examples of stories around you. Martin Luther King and other people share strong stories. There is a resolution at the end.

– Analyze what makes those good speeches compelling to you.
– Analyze those models
– See what resonates with you.
– Legislators say it is the stories that matter and how a bill affects citizens.
– Book: made to stick: talks about stories and brain coestery.
– Example: used a different butter in movie popcorn. Brought a big dinner made a comparison if the fat in the dinner being equal to movie popcorn. And movie theaters changed. The imagery.
– Story: a single mother with 4 kids and crack on the left side would be about 200. Money was tight.
– Visual can be helpful
– The hero’s journey: lost stories are written follow a pattern

– Understanding your opposition. People don’t take the time to understand why people have a certain opinion. If you understand where the other side is coming from you can have empathy and to see how to base your responses. What is compelling of what they are talking about?
– People don’t learn the lesson from the other side. We need to follow successful tactics.
– When you see a person who uses a tactic that is useful maybe implement it but avoid things that are unethical and illegal.
– Use successful techniques for your goals.
– Legislators will meet with the different groups that are affected. For if influence county legislator will sit with county rep. see what their concerns were.
– In a debate, you write their main points and then give alternatives.
– Don’t get emotional with the person you are talking with who may feel differently.
– Someone who objects with you on one issue maybe work with you on another issue. Maintains cooperation and positive relationships.
– Quote: “We work with anyone to do right and not do wrong (maybe Fredric Douglass).
– Never burn bridges keep good relationships.
– Don’t’ take things personally and concentrate on the issue.
– Legislators may ask what is your opinion about this. And if you have opponents agree, point that out in your presentation with that legislator.
– If legislator sees ten organizations who support a bill it can influence the legislator.
– Some will create groups that are populated by only two people but have five of those two people groups and it looks like five groups.

– How do we reshape the narrative/ debate: attitude, it doesn’t feel right or it’s always been that way. Example of medial Malawania. First discussed of abuse of drugs and then people talked about how physical ailments addressed.
– Liberals have been very successful in taking the smaller wins. They think in the l long term overall success. On the tax bill, they did not take the time to convince the voter. A lot of people objected to the tax on food. Paying for food is a compelling topic. We need to consider the long game.
– District chair and legislator: not find out when having meetings. Contact your senator when hosting town halls and events.
– You talking to your rep or senators are more inpactable.
– Tax debate had a lot of poles. It did not shape legislators but did influence citizens.

– Barriers we face
– Money and time: how much effort will it take?
– Status quote or the establishment or what is the current thinking.
– Pitfall: some issues need long term persistence. It might take years to achieve a goal. The left has been very successful in changing public policy by patient persistence.
– When a bill fails, determine how well the opponents used the tools to persuade. One legislator from a certain town testified to his peer how he was affected. Maybe not have lobbied the committee. Some things are rushed and there may be 3 bills addressed in a one-hour committee.
– Study movements and see how they started. How did they get a snowball going?
– Google sagebrush rebellion. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagebrush_Rebellion)
– Echo chambers: in media (twitter) is where people feel everyone agrees. You need to get out of your echo chamber and see what others think.
– Interact well with others. Be friendly. Get a lot more with honey than vinegar. When you attack someone who disagrees with you motivate the opponent cling tighter.