Book Summary | SWITCH : How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Book Name: Switch: How to change Things when Change is Hard

Author: Clip and Dan Heath

Change is constant and managing the change is challenging. Every day we embrace change, some are simple and some are difficult. The big changes may be from marriages, new homes, new technologies and new job duties. But change is hard, to manage the change the several frameworks exists. An interesting anecdote that the author brings in the book, that probably never taken seriously is about the tamed elephant. The elephant is large, strong, intelligent and often sometimes dangerous animal.  The rider or the manhout rides on the elephant, motivates it to ensure the task is completed.  The rider is characterize the rational, the elephant characterizes the emotions. When there is clash between the rational and emotions leads to change. 

The rider Provide clear understanding of the goal and the benefits. What looks like resistance is often lack of clarity. Motivating the elephant is Create emotional engagement to provide inherent motivation. What looks like laziness is often willpower exhaustion. And shape the path Change the environment to create the behaviour you want. What looks like a people problem is often an environment problem.

The book Switch: How to change things when change is hard provides a three point framework to lead the change

I. Direct the Rider: 

- Find the bright spots
- Script the critical moves
- Point to the destination

II. Motivate the Elephant:
- Find the feeling
- Shrink the Change;
- Grow your people

III. Shape the Path:
- Tweak the environment
- Build habits
- Rally the herd

The book consists of good case studies on driving change management. Change can only be brought when behavior is changed through feelings. To change someone's behavior, you've got to change that person's situation. 

The author narrates research examples such as Popcorn studies, food perception, companies poor purchase habits, milk experiment, Health care improvement, fighting malnutrition,etc.