Switch

How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

By: Chip Heath, Dan Heath

Narrated by: Charles Kahlenberg

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD! The ultimate guide to making changes and following through, from the authors of Made to Stick and Decisive—hailed as “witty and instructive” (The Wall Street Journal), “packed with examples and hands-on tools that will get you moving right away” (BusinessWeek)

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. 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.

Critic reviews

“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, getting 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 energetically 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

Elephants and Riders

This is a helpful little book about how to bring about change in others, their organizations, and within ourselves. It is filled with anecdotes and examples which, for me, were informative and reinforced the key learings rather than a side line. Robert Morris and others have written far more detailed reviews than my own. I would ad the following.

The book is rich in insight, delightful to listen to, well written, well read, entertaining, and thought provoking.

Good listen.

Narration was a bit dry, but I always enjoy the insights of the Heath Brothers. Overall I rate this as a 5 star.

Great information on how to gain control of change

Any additional comments?

This book is filled with good example of what we can each do to take control of the changes we need to make. Well worth the read and something that should probably be read several times.

Solid Book, Solid Concept, Right in Front of You

You already know everything in this book if you've ever led a change in work or your personal life. But you don't know that you know it, and that's a problem.

This book will give you clear structure and insights on how to lead a change and how to target the key stakeholders (and the components of their character--their emotions and their practical side) to make the change permanent and successful. My coach recommended this book to me and I have since recommended it to many others.

Awesome

Must-read for people who want to make a change. Love the examples! Truly inspiring.