The world is not a perfect place. As we look around we see the need for change: more sustainable practices, deeper compassion, greater justice and a stronger commitment to the common good. Many of us are working to see our vision of a better world realized. But we cannot do it alone. We need to bring others along so we can work together. Discovering why people act as they do and how we can effectively influence them is an important first step. Learning such skills as audience analysis, motivating for behavioral change and creating compelling messages in a wide variety of mediums will truly help you change hearts, minds, and actions.
Friends of Trees invited Courtney to speak alongside US Forest Service Researcher Geoffrey Donovan to teach government employees and volunteer tree boards how to take the science behind the benefits of trees and use that information to persuade property owners or elected officials to take action. The audience greatly appreciated the way Courtney explained persuasion in a simple and effective way. Personally, I found practicing in small groups at the end of the day to be a very effective way to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world.
- Brighton West, Program Director, Friends of Trees
Courtney Dillard's training workshops help participants take theory to practice. Courtney not only lays out fundamental theories of good communications strategy, but walks participants through the challenges of applying those fundamentals in their own work context. She is insightful, inspirational, and engaging. The workshops equip advocates with smarter, more effective messaging practices and the confidence and understanding to put them to work.
- Anna Fahey, Sightline Institute
