YES! YES! YES! People are more likely to listen to information from someone they already trust.
Here are a few wonderful resources to support YOU in becoming a community resource from Dr. Rupali Limaye, a behavioral and social scientist from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Tips on starting discussions about vaccines. See the full article here.
1. Speak about the desired behavior as a social norm. This is called presumptive communication. For example, you can talk about your actions like vaccination or masking as an example of behavior many people are doing – the social norm.
2. Ask open ended questions to better understand what might change someone’s mind. This strategy helps to “tailor” your messaging around a person’s specific concerns.
3. Listen with your whole body. Pay attention, even if you disagree.
4. Show empathy and respect for feelings and beliefs while also sharing factual information. Acknowledging the emotion and effort made to discuss a difficult topic can present an opportunity to share factual information.
5. Do not lead with facts. You are far more likely to have success if you start by listening and strengthening trust. This can take time.
Here is Dr. Limaye’s free Coursera class: COVID Vaccine Ambassador Training: How to Talk to Parents.
Dr. Limaye’s videos are also available on YouTube!
A special thanks from Those Nerdy Girls to you each for your efforts in being part of the solution and to Dr. Limaye for these awesome videos and tips!
