Publisher Description
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.
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“What an appropriate book to finish during the season of New Year’s resolutions! I don’t do resolutions anymore because I take the approach that I’ll make changes as I need to rather than waiting for the new year. In any case, there are some things I have been wanting to change but I’ve struggled to do so. This book helped me understand why and gave me some ideas for how to move forward. Most importantly is what they call scripting the critical moves. Basically, being more specific with what you plan to do. Saying you’ll exercise 3x per week isn’t enough. Schedule those three sessions (Monday after work, Wednesday before work, etc.). One of the other things is to shape the Path. Make it easier for you to do your workouts at the times you scheduled. Pack your bags, lay out your clothes, plan your meals/snacks, etc. so those workouts fall into place. Makes perfect sense, right? There are other things to consider (like a properly motivated Elephant) but, at the end of the day, I found some good tips in this book that I’ll be experimenting with in the near future!”
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Jodi (5 out of 5 stars)
