A Summarization of Switch by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
I recently listened to Switch by Chip Heath and Dan Heath – a pair of brothers.
The book is about approaching and implementing change.
The points of the book are made by sharing concepts and related anecdotes:
“Here’s what to do. Here’s an example.”
In this post, I will speak mostly to the concepts shared in this book.
My hopes are that you will either find yourself interested in reading this book, or you’ll get enough of the essence of the concepts from my summary to use them successfully, yourself.
Big Idea
The fifteen word spiel for Switch in my words is as follows:
“Change is best made by addressing the rational, emotional, and systematic elements of a situation.”
The author brothers use the metaphor of “The Rider, The Elephant, and The Path” – the rational rider, the emotional elephant, and the environmental (systematic) path as the underlying theme throughout the book.
The Rational Rider is prone to analysis paralysis and is easily overwhelmed by the Emotional Elephant.
The Emotional Elephant is very strong but can be guided as easily as it can be spooked.
The Path conserves the Rider’s energy while minimizing the anxiety of the Elephant.
Rational Rider
Switch suggests that we utilize our rational strengths and escape analysis paralysis by “Focusing on Bright Spots,” “Be clear and simplistic,” and “Minimize rationalization.”
When considering what changes to make to address a problem, humans often try to reason out a solution. We’re more likely to ask “How might we increase x behavior?” or “How might we improve y metric?” than “How might x behavior already be demonstrated, and what is motivating that demonstration of behavior?” and “How might y metric already be motivated, and how might we enhance that?” Rather than trying to solve a problem from scratch – which likely involves an incredibly broad set of options to choose from – look for “bright spots” that might already be partially solving your problem in some way and try to replicate that.
Since thinking about ways to implement change is already difficult, the likelihood of enduring through an entire change process is low. If you want an organization to change, you have to make the mental effort as minimal as possible for everyone, or they will tire from the effort of doing anything besides their routine before the change can stick. Don’t leave the intent behind your change messages ambiguous or left with any demand for your team’s energy.
When you do provide guidelines toward a change, make both a short term goal as well as the boundaries of change actions clear. If a goal is too far into the future, it becomes difficult for the Rider to stay focused. If you want your organization to stop doing something, make it unambiguously obvious – “Black and White” what is and is not acceptable or expected behavior.
Emotional Elephant
Appeals to emotion in this book involve the ideas that showing is better than telling, convincing your change agents that they’re already successful, and making the change part of your or your team’s identity.
The first Elephant idea is simple: telling someone that a change is good is simply not as motivating as showing them. There’s a reason car dealers want people to test drive their cars…
Convincing someone or a team that they are already successfully implementing change appeals to the Emotional Elephant because it suggests that they need simply continue an effort – a sense of momentum supports change by obscuring or transforming the dread of starting something new or unfamiliar.
Telling someone that they are an agent of change by labeling them as something representative of that change can motivate desired behavior.
“We are scholars. Scholars want to learn!”
“We are warriors! Warriors don’t give up!”
The Path
Switch suggests adjusting the Path by directly making changes to the situation involved with a change, building or conditioning habits, and what is effectively using peer pressure.
The first concept here emphasizes that we should not assume incompetence, stubbornness, or malice is to blame when external forces may be responsible for the lack of a desired change. If you have a dedicated Rider and a motivated Elephant, but the Path is blocked or unclear, the Rider and Elephant will struggle. Clear the Path.
Habit building is hopefully obvious. This speaks primarily to reducing the energy that the Rider must exhaust, as habits do not drain energy the way doing new or unfamiliar things does. There are also Pavlovian ways to “force” habitual behavior, such as freezing credit cards to sabotage poor/ emotional spending or pre-staging exercise apparel in the morning – influencing the environment or the Path forces behavior out of the Rider’s hands or into the Elephant’s way.
Last but not least, pointing out that the rest of the environment is adjusting to change can emotionally trigger a change response. “Well, they are doing it. You’re part of them, right?”
Take-Aways
Summarily, change is best supported with a clear understanding of what needs to be done, sufficient motivation, and a conducive environment.
One other important note: change can be short term or long term, and setbacks are part of the process – failure is to be expected, not avoided.
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