Nov
29
Written by:
SuperUser
11/29/2011 1:11 PM
SWITCH How to Change Things when Change is Hard
by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
A Book Review by K. Janzen
Change is a constant in our lives and yet how much do we really understand the process of change.
If you have tried to change your eating habits to lose weight, you know that it is difficult. If you are trying to influence change on a global level (like, for example, the Global Organization for Parliamentarians Against Corruption) it is really, really hard.
Many business challenges also involve change; you may need to change the attitudes of customers or a business or a corporate environment. Sometimes a small change can make a big difference in your business.
The authors break change down into three main elements:
First, the rational mind (the Rider), needs to understand why the change is important, how it will work and the small steps that will be required to accomplish the change.
Second, the emotional side (the Elephant) must be motivated. People need to feel something to enable change.
Third, the environment, habits and behavior must be shaped to change things when change is hard.
This book is inspiring and entertaining as the authors explore the elements of change with many illustrative and often humorous examples.
Summer is a great time to relax with a good book, so if you want a break from the summer romance or sports illustrated, I would highly recommend SWITCH.
What changes will you orchestrate?