Switch - How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

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 patie nts
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.

Rezension:

Witty and instructive . . . The Heath brothers think that the sciences of human behavior can provide us with tools for making changes in our lives tools that are more effective than willpower, leadership and other easier-said-than-done solutions. . . . For any effort at change to succeed, the Heaths argue, you have to shape the path. With Switch they have shaped a path that leads in a most promising direction. The Wall Street Journal

Using the terminology of University of Virginia psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the Heaths designate the emotional side of the mind as the Elephant and the rational side as the Rider. . . . Switch is crammed with stories . . . covering a number of fields to drive home the importance of using the strengths of both the Rider and the Elephant to make change happen. This could be a valuable read for the would-be change-makers of the Obama administration. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Whether you're a manager, a parent or a civic leader, ge tting people to change can be tricky business. In Switch, brothers Chip and Dan Heath authors of the bestselling Made to Stick survey efforts to shape human behavior in search of what works. . . . Even when change isn't easy, it's often worth making. Time

Dan and Chip Heath have done it again. . . . Any leader looking to create change in his organization need not look beyond this little book. It is packed with examples and hands-on tools that will get you moving right away. And it is really a fun read. Business Week

Switch is a fantastic book. . . . Rather than just describing a problem or exposing why we make mistakes, the Heath brothers discuss why change is so hard, and then give a short list of concrete steps to follow. . . . It s an inspiring book, to be sure, all the more so because it's not just about changes that others have accomplished, but about how you can start some change yourself. Wired

[Through] lively examples, the Heaths speak energet ically and encouragingly on how to modify our behaviors and businesses. This clever discussion is an entertaining and educational must-read for executives and for ordinary citizens looking to get out of a rut. Publishers Weekly