Personal stories are more persuasive than facts.

A headline from The Guardian yesterday caught my eye:

“Researchers believe personal stories are more persuasive than facts alone in addressing vaccine scepticism.”

Of course they are.

Whatever your views on vaccines, the relevance to change communications is clear.

Experts – or senior leaders in the case of change programmes – can say what they like. But if you want your message to land, amplify the voices of those who’ve felt the pain, overcome the challenge, and are willing to share their personal stories with their peers.

When it comes to communication: Peer-to-peer stories > top-down facts.