Switch：How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Whyisitsohardtomakelastingchangesinourcompanies,inourcommunities,andinourownlives?Theprimaryobstacleisaconflictthat’sbuiltintoourbrains,sayChipandDanHeath,authorsofthecriticallyacclaimedbestsellerMadetoStick.Psychologistshavediscoveredthatourmindsareruledbytwodifferentsystems—therationalmindandtheemotionalmind—thatcompeteforcontrol.Therationalmindwantsagreatbeachbody;theemotionalmindwantsthatOreocookie.Therationalmindwantstochangesomethingatwork;theemotionalmindlovesthecomfortoftheexistingroutine.Thistensioncandoomachangeeffort—butifitisovercome,changecancomequickly.InSwitch,theHeathsshowhoweverydaypeople—employeesandmanagers,parentsandnurses—haveunitedbothmindsand,asaresult,achieveddramaticresults:-Thelowlymedicalinternswhomanagedtodefeatanentrenched,decades-oldmedicalpracticethatwasendangeringpatients.-Thehome-organizingguruwhodevelopedasimpletechniqueforovercomingthedreadofhousekeeping.-Themanagerwhotransformedalackadaisicalcustomer-supportteamintoservicezealotsbyremovingastandardtoolofcustomerserviceInacompelling,story-drivennarrative,theHeathsbringtogetherdecadesofcounterintuitiveresearchinpsychology,sociology,andotherfieldstoshednewlightonhowwecaneffecttransformativechange.Switchshowsthatsuccessfulchangesfollowapattern,apatternyoucanusetomakethechangesthatmattertoyou,whetheryourinterestisinchangingtheworldorchangingyourwaistline.