Don’t Reinvent the Wheel, Duplicate Success

Authors and brothers, Chip and Dan Heath—Made to Stick and Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard— agree with rocker Cheryl Crow that “A Change Can Do You Good.” However, Chip and Dan understand that change is not easy and more is required than just wanting to change. In Switch, another well-received book read by the ASCPA Book Club, the brothers argue that you have to find that bright spot and duplicate it to make change more likely to succeed.

Change comes in all shapes and sizes, from minuscule to massive, but irrespective of the size, we need to start somewhere. “Big changes can start with very small steps. Small changes tend to snowball… “advises Chip Heath. One of the reasons I enjoyed Switch was because of the many useful anecdotes. I was able to understand their points of view because of these relevant stories.

The story of Jerry Sternin going to Vietnam to help eradicate malnutrition when other well-meaning and better-funded organizations had failed was a compelling story.   Sternin was aware of the previous failures. Sternin understood he could not solve the country’s sanitation systems or improve the quality of the drinking water. He looked for the bright spots, which he found in disadvantaged children living in the poorest areas, which defied the odds, but they appeared healthier and bigger than the children being raised in less poverty. The parents of these healthier children had made small change to their children’s’ diet and eating habits— and it worked. Sternin found ways to incorporate what the successful parents were doing and began the process of changing the other parents’ way of thinking. The change was slow, but it was dramatic.

The authors ask the reader to imagine an elephant and its rider. The rider represents the rational and logical. Tell the rider what to do and make a good argument for that plan and the rider will head in your desired direction. An elephant represents our emotions, our gut response.  The rider might like to avoid the bacon-wrapped hot dog with all the trimmings and the greasy fries; however, there is not much the rider can do if the elephant has made up its mind to eat that yummy food.

Don’t despair, the Heath brothers make a compelling argument that bright spots can be found anywhere—you just need to look for them. In addition, the writers summarize succinctly what we must do for the rider, the elephant and the path to find that bright spot and beyond:

Direct the rider: find the bright spots, script the critical moves and point to the destination

Motivate the elephant: find the feeling, shrink the change and grow your people

Shape the path: tweak the environment, build habits and rally the herd

The brothers Heath explain that change often fails because the rider simply cannot keep the elephant on the path long enough to the reach the goal. The elephant’s strong desire for satisfaction goes against the rider’s strength. If you plan to make changes—miniscule to massive— you need to appeal to both the rider for planning and direction and the elephant for the energy and passion. Changes come easily when they move in unison. Change will be slow, but taking that small step is the key.

In summary, Switch was a lengthy read, but had some good anecdotes. The key to starting on a successful path to change is to make the small changes to one’s environment.  As someone wiser that I once said to me, “…don’t resist the American blueberry-filled double-crust tart staring at you in the kitchen, throw it out…better yet, don’t buy it.“ Change can be easier when you don’t go at it alone. Have a partner you can be accountable to and help each other avoid temptation.

To make your journey of change more enjoyable, here are the top best songs about change according to blogger Robin Raven.  Thanks for reading and best wishes as you take that small yet enormous first step.

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