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Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
by Chip Heath
(108 reviews)
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Sales Rank: 79
 Item Summary: |
Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, and in our own lives?
The primary obstacle is a conflict that’s built into our brains, say Chip and Dan Heath, authors of the critically acclaimed bestseller Made to Stick. Psychologists have discovered that our minds are ruled by two different systems—the rational mind and the emotional mind—that compete for control. The rational mind wants a great beach body; the emotional mind wants that Oreo cookie. The rational mind wants to change something at work; the emotional mind loves the comfort of the existing routine. This tension can doom a change effort—but if it is overcome, change can come quickly.
In Switch, the Heaths show how everyday people—employees and managers, parents and nurses—have united both minds and, as a result, achieved dramatic results:
● The lowly medical interns who managed to defeat an entrenched, decades-old medical practice that was endangering patients.
● The home-organizing guru who developed a simple technique for overcoming the dread of housekeeping.
● The manager who transformed a lackadaisical customer-support team into service zealots by removing a standard tool of customer service
In a compelling, story-driven narrative, the Heaths bring together decades of counterintuitive research in psychology, sociology, and other fields to shed new light on how we can effect transformative change. Switch shows that successful changes follow a pattern, a pattern you can use to make the changes that matter to you, whether your interest is in changing the world or changing your waistline.
 Reviews: |
Change your thinking and you can change your life
Many books have been written about why people act the way they do. Just as many books have been written about how to change your behavior. This book presents a new framework for looking at change.
The framework for change:
**Direct the Rider - our rational side.
**Motivate the Elephant - our emotional side.
**Shape the Path - the situation and surrounding environment.
Some of my favorite concepts from the book:
**Find the bright spots and focus on them. In other words, study what IS working and see why, rather than focusing on what's not working.
**It may not be the people, it might be the process. The example of employees not using the automated timesheets was a great example. The timesheets had some annoying features that really bugged people. People just didn't like the hassle; it wasn't that they were lazy.
**Appeal to people's emotions, not their logic. The example of colored M&M's convincing Target buyers to go with color showed how this can work. This may not always work, if you're dealing with an analytical person, but it's worth a try.
**Have a very clear path. The statement, "We need to be nicer to our customers" isn't going to work. Re-phrasing to "By December 1, 2010, our client satisfaction ratings need to be above 90%" is better.
**Use Action Triggers to promote new behavior. For example, tell your sales people that they should make a new client call with their first cup of coffee in the morning.
None of these concepts are new, but I find it very helpful to read about important ideas from many perspectives. It helps me to internalize them and to use them in my own life.
Best Book on Moving the Herd
This new book is filled with remarkable examples of innovative people using simple, but not obvious, principles to overcome mis-behaviors and dysfunctions. The reading is easy, almost exciting at times, as you are eager to learn how a solution is found. I felt uplifted and encouraged, able to put the methods to work immediately. Whether you are trying to change health care, like me, or government, customers, your family, or anyone but your cantankerous dog, this well written book will get you and them where you want to go.
Impact all areas of your life.
This was a quick read and applied to many aspects of my life where change is needed. Don't we all need to change something? Business or personal, this is the starting point to making change happen - easily and quickly.
Overrated
As in many other circumstances, the authors stretched out 1 chapter of interesting material into a full book. I did not find it worthwhile.
Useful advice and catchy hooks: Food Rooster?
I am a fan of the Heath brothers already from their Fast Company column and their first book, Made To Stick. I really loved Switch. The topic on change is important (it is subtitled How To Change Things When Change Is Hard). The format is very accessible with lots of varied examples, chapter reviews of the main highlights, and catchy teaching phrases, such as Find Your Bright Spots or Shrink The Change.
A lot of their advice dovetails very nicely with traditional coaching advice, so I may make this required reading for my clients undergoing big upheaval. But even without a coaching background, you can appreciate the motivational, yet practical tips.
You have to read this book for yourself, so I won't spoil it, but here are some of the fun items:
When change seems too hard, it's not because you're lazy; it's because you're exhausted. You need to make things easy for yourself;
Direct the Rider (your analytical side)/ Motivate the Elephant (your emotions). Who can't hook onto that catchy phrase?;
Why the Food Pyramid may as well be a Food Rhombus or a Food Rooster (this still makes me laugh out loud when I think of it);
The Heath brothers personal foray into salsa dancing also made me smile!
It's a fast read but packed with useful advice you can use right away to make changes in different areas of your life or in the workplace. Read this book!
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