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Switch: How to change things when change is hard
By Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
I loved the Heath’s first book, Made to Stick, and I used the illustration I found in their book (about tapping out the beat of a song like “Jingle Bells” and then predicting the accuracy of getting another person to know what song was being conveyed by just the beat alone) in a speech I gave as well as in the revision of my textbook. That book is well written, and it is, indeed, what prompted me to review their new book, Switch. (The illustration is a great example of what it requires for speakers to know that they are accurately and precisely conveying their ideas to audience members.)
You can sometimes gauge the substance, depth, or seriousness of a book by the resources on which the author(s) depend in their writing. In this 264-page book, there are about 24 pages of notes, and the resources appear well-selected, academic, and thorough. Impressive!
“Chip Heath [from the back flyleaf of the book] is a professor at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University,” and “Dan Heath is a senior fellow at Duke University’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE). Previously, he was a researcher and case writer at Harvard Business School.”
The book depends for its basis on this fact: “. . . the brain has two independent systems at work at all times. First, there’s what we called the emotional side. It’s the part of you that is instinctive, that feels pain and pleasure. Second, there’s the rational side, also known as the reflective or conscious system. It’s the part of you that deliberates and analyzes and looks into the future” (p. 6).
The Heaths go on to borrow from Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Happiness Hypothesis in which “Haidt says that our emotional side is an Elephant and our rational side is its Rider. Perched atop the Elephant, the Rider holds the reins and seems to be the leader. But the Rider’s control is precarious because the Rider is so small relative to the Elephant. Anytime the six-ton Elephant and the Rider disagree about which direction to go, the Rider is going to lose. He’s completely overmatched” (p. 7).
With all that information offered, the Heaths now draw their conclusion regarding change: “If you want to change things, you’ve got to appeal to both. The Rider provides the planning and direction, and the Elephant provides the energy. So if you reach the Riders of your team but not the Elephants, team members will have understanding without motivation. If you reach their Elephants but not their Riders, they’ll have passion without direction. In both cases, the flaws can be paralyzing. A reluctant Elephant and a wheel-spinning Rider can both ensure that nothing changes. But when Elephants and Riders move together, change can come easily” (p. 8).
The three-part framework the Heaths suggest that can guide readers in any situation includes 1) directing the rider (give the rider crystal-clear direction), 2) motivating the elephant (get it on the path and cooperating by engaging its emotional side), and 3) shape the path (make change more likely, no matter what’s happening with the Rider and Elephant). (See pages 17-18.)
This is a well-written book full of engaging stories that are drawn directly from the research. Through the stories and the way the book is organized, the Heaths don’t just draw you in and along, they continually show you what it (the stories and research and insights) mean to you. It is their conversational style, their lack of academic pretension, their ability to distill and make immediate and useful the results of scores of studies, that make this an enjoyable book to read — and for those seriously interested in change, or how to change business, how to make changes in your own behavior, or, even how to make changes in the world, their suggestions hold water.
This book is available at Amazon.com: Switch: How to change things when change is hard
The power of slow: 101 ways to save time in our 24/7 world
By Christine Louise Hohlbaum
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
I already use my time wisely. Twenty-one years ago (in 1989) I read an essay, “If I Had My Life to Live Over,” attributed to “Anonymous,” in an advice column by Ann Landers. The piece she cited ended this way: “. . . but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every moment, look at it and really see it and live it — and never give it back until there was nothing left of it.” I thought the advice was accurate, and I immediately applied it to my own life.
When I discovered that essay, I liked it so much I incorporated it into my final Speech 102 lecture, “Love and Creativity,” each term and, thus, probably shared it with between 15 and 20,000 undergraduate students. I had numerous requests throughout the years for reprints of the Landers’ column, which I gladly accommodated.
You needn’t wonder why Hohlbaum’s book, “The Power of Slow,” caught my immediate attention. Although I retired from active teaching some time ago, my undergraduate textbook continues to sell well and requires continual attention; I have written five popular books designed for the general public (1 = “And Then Some”; 2=”Public Speaking Rules”; 3) “You Rules”; 4) “SMOERs”; and 5) “Relationship Rules”); I set up a publishing company; I maintain a website, www.andthensomeworks.com, with five-day-a-week posts on a blog including a weekly 1,000-word essay on a wide variety of topics; I travel extensively; I have an elaborately planted and maintained backyard with a gazebo, barn, and pond; I keep up with current events; and, I make daily visits to see my elderly father-in-law who lives in a residential-care facility in my home town. The point is: to do this requires considerable planning and time management. Any new tips are welcome.
In the introduction to her book, Hohlbaum explains that, “Slow does not mean stop; it means to be mindful. The power of slow can be defined as the unmatchable force unleashed when you embrace your truest purpose in life. Mindfulness coupled with a positive relationship with time will make you unstoppable. This book is about harnessing your own power within and allowing it to unfurl. It offers you 101 ways to check in with your power without checking out of life. Time will help you do this if you let it” (p. xx).
The benefit of her approach, she writes in her introduction: “Slowing down long enough to actually think and become aware of your surroundings leads you to a deeper understanding of why you do the things you do. Building on that awareness, you can make choices that are much more powerful than those made in haste” (p. xxiii).
What I found absolutely fascinating about this book is Hohlbaum’s delightful, comfortable, arm-chair approach. She writes in an easy-to-digest manner which invites readers into her living room as she shares stories, insights, advice, opinions of others, and research. It is clear from her writing that she has adopted her own approach to time.
The principles are sound and well-explained, the cartoons are delightful, the quotations used are apt and to the point, and the overall presentation is a treat — with liberal doses of the author’s humor. I thought the statement, “Let life be your greatest teacher. If your best friend always shows up late, he is teaching you what to expect. You may not be able to change your friend’s behavior, but you can change your expectation to match what he is truly capable of” (p. 172), applies to so much of life. You cannot change other people, but you can reduce your own stress by being flexible, adaptable, and tolerant — sometimes by completely redefining the situation. Pretend that you are a superior being and you have the authority and the ability to control your own behavior — others don’t. To be happy you simply have to exert your authority and control! (Read more of the author’s explanation and limitations of this approach on page 173.
The book is 240 pages long. There are 41/2-pages of notes and a bibliography. Hohlbaum is a public relations professional and a freelance writer. If your world is inundated with things to do, if you feel that chaos is a word that accurately depicts your life, and if you can’t seem to manage everything you must to live a happy, daily life, then this book offers a calming, relaxing experience — plus, a whole lot of important advice.
This book is available at Amazon.com: The power of slow: 101 ways to save time in our 24/7 world
Paul and Me: 53 years of adventures and misadventures with my pal Paul Newman
By A. E. Hotchner
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
It is always interesting, I think, to get information on how a person lived out of the spotlight. What was Paul Newman like as a person, not as a Hollywood actor? That is precisely what this book by Hotchner does — provide interesting, enjoyable, and humorous anecdotes, episodes, and insights. You get an inside look at how Newman dealt with the death of his son, the start of his camps, and Paul's own illness, among other things.
This is not a biography. It is, rather, a well-selected, carefully crafted, and thoughtfully written book about a friendship of 53 years.
Having written seventeen other books, including the bestseller, Papa Hemingway, you can expect a well-written and engaging book here, and that is exactly what you get.
Deborah Mcpherson of Aubrey, Texas, in her Amazon.com review loved Hotchner’s book, and she, beautifully and cogently derived the essential message that Newman left this world: “For Newman it was all a wonderful lark and he contributed his success to huge amounts of good luck. But reading this book will have you thinking that it was more than good luck, good looks and charisma kissing his long, wonderful celebration of life. Without a doubt his success was largely due do his giving his all and then sharing the wealth he produced. He made a decision early on not to take himself too seriously, yet he most seriously did use his many talents. He shared his good fortune with the world. He found the secret to a good life is the more you give the more your good fortunes multiply.”
Honestly, I loved the book, the pictures, and the glimpses we derived from Hotchner’s wonderful, intimate, and successful relationship with Newman.
This book is availalbe at Amazon.com: Paul and Me: 53 years of adventures and misadventures with my pal Paul Newman
The facebook effect-The inside story of the company that is connecting the world
By David Kirkpatrick
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
If you want to know every detail about how Facebook began, how it evolved, and why it is the entity that it is today, then this is the book for you. Some readers will love the minutia; other readers will want less — in the end it is a terrific story told in an interesting and engaging manner. (There are 13 pages of notes. Having lived in Amherst, Massachusetts, for six years, footnote #207 refers to Amherst Regional High School and an article in the Amherst Bulletin from 2009, which the author found online.)
If you are “a budding internet startup entrepreneur” then you must read this book first. It will give you so much essential information for setting up a website and establishing it as a “presence” in the cyberworld, you will not believe it.
Andre L. Charoo of San Francisco, a reviewer of the book at Amazon.com writes that the book includes “details such as:
- how Facebook gained so much traffic early on
- how they scaled the site school by school
- the major decisions Mark and his team grappled with at every stage
- the strategy and thought process that went through Zuckerberg's mind
- how they raised their first dollar of investment
- what sort of information did they pitch their first professional investors
- etc...”
The reviews for the book are outstanding. David Ford "Dave Ford Does Earth,” from New York writes: “I saw David speak at a Digital Breakfast in New York City a few weeks ago and afterwards decided to buy his book. 10 days later I finished the book and have such a better idea of how Facebook came to be, where they are now, and where they are going in the future. His unprecedented access to Facebook insiders give a distinct and different perception of what happened and happens behind the walls at Facebook.
“Unlike many other books about Facebook, Zuckerberg is not painted as the villain. Instead, you get a sense of the tremendous responsibility this 25 year old has not only to his company, but to the world.
“My favorite parts involve the "sometimes lucky" corporate political maneuvering that allowed Zuckerberg to follow his vision, and how Facebook emerged in the middle of the battle between Google and Microsoft. I'd highly recommend this book. Its a page turner and chock full of insider knowledge about Facebook and the insiders of Silicon Valley.”
M. Clarke of Greenwich, Connecticut, sums up my feelings about this book in his short review at Amazon.com: “Kirkpatrick was for years one of Fortune's best writers, and that talent is on full display here. He assesses the often broad and complex situations around facebook deftly, in accessible and subtle ways. But it's when he lets his interview subjects speak in their own words -- from founder to current and past executives to investors -- that the book really shines. It's better than a good book, it's an important book.”
The problem with this book is that each story that Kirkpatrick tells leads to his next story, and each story is thoroughly engaging. Once you get started in this book, you won’t be able to put it down. It’s that good.
This book is available at Amazon.com: The facebook effect: The inside story of the company that is connecting the world
