I am a fan of the Heath brothers already from their Fast Company column and their first book, Made To Stick. I really loved Switch. The topic on change is important (it is subtitled How To Change Things When Change Is Hard). The format is very accessible with lots of varied examples, chapter reviews of the main highlights, and catchy teaching phrases, such as Find Your Bright Spots or Shrink The Change.
A lot of their advice dovetails very nicely with traditional coaching advice, so I may make this required reading for my clients undergoing big upheaval. But even without a coaching background, you can appreciate the motivational, yet practical tips.
You have to read this book for yourself, so I won’t spoil it, but here are some of the fun items:
When change seems too hard, it’s not because you’re lazy; it’s because you’re exhausted. You need to make things easy for yourself;
Direct the Rider (your analytical side)/ Motivate the Elephant (your emotions). Who can’t hook onto that catchy phrase?;
Why the Food Pyramid may as well be a Food Rhombus or a Food Rooster (this still makes me laugh out loud when I think of it);
The Heath brothers personal foray into salsa dancing also made me smile!
It’s a fast read but packed with useful advice you can use right away to make changes in different areas of your life or in the workplace. Read this book!
About Caroline Ceniza-Levine
