Motivate Loved Ones to Get Vaccinated

The proven approach you’re probably not using.

Karin Tamerius

Aug 12, 2021

Hello everyone!

Here is your tip of the week PLUS one special webinar, two inspiring quotes, and one interactive chat bot…

AND a special discount from Smart Politics and me!

1 Smart Tip

To increase your influence with the unvaccinated:

Everyone’s talking about mandates and passports, but when you’re trying to motivate folks to get vaccinated, threats and guilt-trips only make them defensive and angry. You can also put down your well-crafted scientific and community-health arguments--your loved ones will just come up with new reasons for avoiding a shot. Instead, use motivational interviewing. It’s a “guiding” style of communication that empowers people to change themselves by:

helping them feel in control of their decisions
respectfully pointing out any ambivalence
offering them information when they ask for it

1 Smart Webinar

How to Encourage Unvaccinated Loved Ones to Get the Shot

When: August 17 at 8 - 9:30 pm ET

Price: Donation requested (Pay what you can; $20/person recommended)

Want hands-on learning and practice with motivational interviewing? I’m hosting a live 90-minute online webinar this coming Tuesday evening where I’ll teach you to navigate people's natural resistance to new ideas, avoid triggering defensiveness, and help them to change their own minds about vaccination. Plus, we’ll have post-webinar break-out groups to practice the techniques!

2 Smart Quotes

“You can’t force your will on people. If you want them to act differently, you need to inspire them to change themselves.”
-- Phil Jackson

“Love can change a person the way a parent can change a baby--awkwardly, and often with a great deal of mess.”
-- Lemony Snicket

1 Smart Vaccination Chat Bot

This chat bot I created with Dr. Arnaud Gagneur for The New York Times is shorter than an ideal conversation, but it demonstrates the basics of using motivational interviewing when talking to unvaccinated loved ones. If you still have questions, feel free to post them here in the comments or, better yet, bring them to the webinar!

Thanks for being a part of Smart Politics! If you want to see more great content like this, be sure to support us on Patreon. And to all our current patrons, THANK YOU!!!

Until next week,