TIPS FROM THE TIPPING POINT
Sara Nagel Newberg Heidi Perman
St. Paul Campus Career Center University of Minnesota
PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES
Provide overview of key concepts from “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell Share our experiences applying “The Tipping Point” principles Generate ideas about other ways to use these strategies in your work
CORE MESSAGE Successful outreach requires working through the right people, with the right message, at the right time and place.
TIPPING POINT- OVERVIEW
The best way to understand trends of ideas, products, messages and behavior is to think of them as epidemics
Three Principles of Epidemics: Contagious behavior Little changes have big effects Changes happen in a hurry
3 RULES OF EPIDEMICS
Law of the few
– Connectors, mavens and salespeople
Stickiness factor Power of context
USES IN CAREER SERVICES
Public relations/advertising Career education Teaching Student behavior
THE LAW OF THE FEW
THE LAW OF THE FEW
Connectors Know lots of people Fit well into many different groups or cultures
See Connector Quiz in Your Packet
THE LAW OF THE FEW
Mavens Gather a lot of knowledge on particular topics and become experts Love sharing this information with other people
– They don’t persuade people, but teach and explain
THE LAW OF THE FEW
Salespeople Natural ability to persuade others Beyond words, but character traits that impact others: charisma, body language etc.
THE LAW OF THE FEW
Implementation Strategies Career Leader Volunteers – Career Fair Students Conduct Resume Presentation Faculty: Popular vs. Coordinators
THE STICKINESS FACTOR
IS YOUR MESSAGE STICKY?
Is the message so memorable that it incites change? Spurs others to action? It’s not the inherent quality of the idea, but the packaging of the idea that matters.
QUALITIES OF STICKY IDEAS
“SUCCES” Factors
– Simplicity – Unexpectedness – Concreteness – Credibility – Emotional – Stories
Source: Chip Heath and Dan Heath – Made to Stick
SUCCESS STORIES
Ramen Noodles Career Tips
Tip or Treat
YOUR “SUCCES” STORIES
What techniques have you used to make an idea stick?
THE POWER OF CONTEXT
POWER OF CONTEXT
Change is sensitive to the environment and timing Group dynamics and group pressure impact an epidemic Community is important
THE POWER OF CONTEXT
Implementation Strategies Visiting classes & targeting message by major Online Workshops Resume Doctor
EMPLOYER SATISFACTION WITH CAREER FAIR
3.8 3.75 3.7 3.65 3.6 3.55 3.5 3.45 3.4 2005 2006
CASE STUDY
RESOURCES
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell http://www.gladwell.com Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive While Others Die Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Sara Nagel Newberg, snagel@umn.edu, 612-624-3696 Heidi Perman, hperman@umn.edu, 612-624-9120