Book Review: Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Shawn Barron, Director of Client Relationships, The Anderson Group                                     Rating:

Let me begin by saying that I enjoy reading…for pleasure.  I typically read books that allow me to escape to another world. Which, is why I don’t always embrace reading business books, or self-help books. That said, I’ve read my fair share over my 22-year career. Some have been better than others, but none resonated with me more than Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, by Chip and Dan Heath. Until I sat down to write this review, I couldn’t tell you why. But, after thinking about it, I believe that I connected so well with Switch because it wasn’t just a business book. It’s a book about inspiring change, be it at work, at home or in your community. In a nutshell, it had application to all parts of my life.

What’s nice about Switch is that it combines change management theory with clear, practical ways of making change happen. Throughout the book, Chip and Dan Heath switch back and forth between abstract concepts and real-life anecdotes that inspired and entertained me. The book uses stories about people, companies and organizations to illustrate the behaviors necessary to affect change. As a matter of fact, the overarching theme of the book is focused on the need to change people’s behavior to achieve the greater change you’re hoping for.

The Anderson Group is in the midst of many changes right now, influenced by both internal and external factors. The world is a very different place than it was 24 years ago when our company was founded. Sometimes we’re faced with minor “tweaks” and other times we’re challenged by major transformations. What I like about Switch is its simple framework for making change happen. You can start with small steps that will snowball into larger changes. For a small company like ours, that’s a more realistic approach than a complete overhaul in one fell swoop.

The book is structured around a very simple analogy of an Elephant and its Rider. The Elephant is our emotional, impulsive side while the Rider is our rational, logical side.  The theory is that you need a balance of both to make effective decisions that lead to change. The Rider sits atop the Elephant and holds the reins. But the Rider is so small compared to the Elephant, and his ability to control the Elephant is often unstable. The Elephant is driven by comfort and is prone to forming and following habits. He needs emotional motivation to move forward, whereas the Rider needs clear direction and a destination. If you’re successful in moving the Rider and the Elephant together, change will come easy. The book also talks about shaping the path; the importance of changing the environment and making the process easier if you want people to change.

As I look around our organization, I see examples of this everywhere. A big part of what we’re trying to do is provide a path for our employees that allows them to see the need for change with clear ways of getting there. Slowly but surely, behaviors are changing. Remember, often small steps lead to big changes!

My favorite part of Switch was the section about looking for the bright spots. I tend to be a glass-half-full kind of person with a generally positive outlook. The concept of focusing on success stories around a change, as opposed to negative examples, really hit home for me. Looking for the good things and cloning them versus always looking for the problems and how to solve them is music to my ears, and something I’m focused on every day, at work and at home.

I highly recommend Switch to anyone who’s involved in some kind of change. It’s engaging and often funny, and has very practical application to real life.

Rating: 

  A must-read! Thought leadership. Highly relevant.

       Worth reading. Offers many helpful insights.

            Good ideas. Put it on your reading list.

                 Similar to other books on the subject.

                      Disappointing. Would not recommend.