Switch : How to change things when change is hard(Paperback) - 2011 Edition: 0884586705838: Amazon.com: Books

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Switch : How to change things when change is hard(Paperback) - 2011 Edition Paperback

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Switch Deficiencies and Recommendations

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2010

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Switch is a book Josef Goebbels, Adolf Hitler's Minister of Propaganda, would rate with five stars. Goebbels's Principles of Propaganda, just like the Switch change framework (Direct the Rider, Motivate the Elephant, and Shape the Path) excises Values and Goal Setting from Change. What remains is a set of tactics Switch identifies to realize change no matter what goals and values the leaders want to achieve and realize. Although the change framework in Switch potentially provides powerful tactics for change, Switch has some major and fatal deficiencies.

The framework with its tactics for change described in SWITCH - HOW TO CHANGE THINGS WHEN CHANGE IS HARD by Chip Heath and Dan Heath published by Broadway Books, New York 2010 has some major and fatal deficiencies. (I will use the term "change framework" as a convenient way to refer to the Switch framework and tactics for change described in this book.)

The change framework
* Is amoral and value neutral,
* Is dangerous and provides a potentially powerful means for propaganda,
* Discounts reason and is inconsistent with its formulation,
* Can be used to establish and sustain totalitarianism, potentially resulting in holocausts,
* Is missing the ethical compass, the Superego from Freud's standpoint, and
* Is inimical to democracy and potentially supportive of totalitarianism

It is recommended that the authors augment the book by providing a methodology for how members in a group can democratically formulate and support worthy goals to satisfy the critical and important needs of the group in a manner consistent with the group's prevailing pluralistic values.

The change framework is amoral and value neutral. There is no discussion in Switch about what makes a goal desirable (e.g., using methods of Immanuel Kant, utilitarianism, or Sir William Walter Ross) and worthy of attainment in the context of the ethical values. There is no discussion on how to identify goals that are worthy of attainment in the context of these ethical values and real needs. In the wrong hands, it could be used as an effective recipe for despotism. The goals are critically important.

The change framework is dangerous and provides a potentially powerful means for propaganda. The framework may be extremely dangerous if effective. It is like giving a loaded gun with instructions on how to effectively use it without providing the user advice on the ethical use of the gun, e.g., under what (very restricted) conditions (e.g., target practice and self-defense), it is ethically permissible to use it.

Without the moral compass, Switch provides a simple framework for propaganda, which consists of tactics aimed at influencing or manipulating attitudes and behaviors of an individual or a community to help realize one or more goals. Many of the tactics identified in Switch are similar to those proposed by Goebbels and other advocates of propaganda. See [...]The change framework discounts reason and is inconsistent with its formulation. The framework explicitly discounts reason. The framework explicitly discounts reason by asserting that the Rider will think in "True But Useless" (TBU) circles if not given direction. It claims that the Rider will not be able to set the direction if the Elephant opposes the rider`s direction. But isn't the change framework itself a rational mechanism that the Rider can use to nudge or coax the Elephant to move in the direction that Rider chooses? Even though the framework explicitly discounts reason, it provides the Rider (the intellect) the means by which to influence the elephant. Therefore, the change framework enables the intellect and reason to greatly influence if not control the emotions of the Elephant.

If the intellect and reason are really as Switch portrays, how did the change framework become articulated, presented, and communicated? The Rider as described in the Switch could not have formulated the change framework. It would simply think in circles (TBU). In Switch, the Leader when equipped with the framework and tactics for change is the agent of change.

The framework and tactics for change must have been created by a series of clever Riders, don't you think? The Elephant didn't create the change framework. Overtime, the authors of propaganda and change literature, including the books referenced in "Recommendations for Additional Reading," accumulated knowledge that the Switch authors synthesized into this very powerful change framework. The Rider is not the weak analyzer Switch would have you believe. Riders created the change framework that enable the Rider some level of mastery over the Elephant. Reason created the change framework. Therefore, reason and the Rider are of paramount importance.

The change framework can used to establish and sustain totalitarianism, potentially resulting in holocausts. Switch pays little attention to the Leaders. But how does the Leader relate to the framework and the tactics for change? Who are the Leaders and what is their relationship to the Riders and Elephants? In the case of an individual, it is your reason equipped with the change framework. Generally, a Leader is a person (Rider/Elephant) who is expert in the change framework and who is in a leadership position of responsibility for a group of people or community to help the group or community satisfy some of its most important needs by applying the framework and tactics for change in a manner as consistent as possible with the prevailing and pluralistic ethical values of the members of the group or community. There should be much more discussion about Leaders and how they relate to the change framework. The last century should have taught us that unbridled reason (The Rider with propaganda) threatens to erupt in holocaust without an ethical compass.

The change framework is missing the ethical compass, the Superego from Freud's standpoint.
Freud (Beyond the Pleasure Principle 1920 and The Ego and the Id 1923) would have called the ethical compass, which is totally missing in the Switch, the Superego. He would have called the Elephant the Id and the Rider the Ego. The rational Ego attempts to resolve or at least mitigate the conflict between the Id (Elephant) and the Superego (the ethical compass). The change framework is a good means to help mitigate if not resolve this conflict.

Because there is no understanding of the connection between these tactics and worthy goals in the context of ethical values, Switch misses the opportunity to provide direction (to the Ego) on how identify the specific tactics for change that would be effective given the nature of the goals that ought be realized in the context of the ethical compass (Superego). The framework provides no methodology for the selection of specific tactics given worthy goals in the context of evolved ethical values.

The change framework is inimical to democracy and potentially supportive of totalitarianism. For a description of totalitarianism see [...]. How does the Switch framework with its leaders relate to a democratic society? The Switch encourages the Leaders to separate themselves from the other members of the group. The Leaders somehow determine the goals (the framework provides no guidance) and use the framework with its tactics for change to manipulate the other members of the group to realize the goals. There is no discussion of how the leaders formulate worthy goals that are consistent the leaders' group ethical values and genuine needs. This framework and its tactics for change can very easily be used to establish and sustain totalitarianism. The fatal flaw of the framework is the absence of an ethical component.

Some recommendations follow. The authors should augment the framework with an ethical compass. They should provide advice and methods to discover the prevailing and pluralistic values of the group. They should provide advice to the members of the group on how to democratically identify the critical and important needs of the group in the context of the group's prevailing pluralistic values. They should provide a methodology for how members in a group can democratically formulate worthy goals in the context of the group's prevailing pluralistic values to satisfy the critical and important needs of the group in a manner consistent with the group's prevailing pluralistic values.

With the satisfaction of these recommendations, Switch can be transformed from a potentially dangerous amoral change framework into an ethically directed and integrated framework for change that helps satisfy real needs using tactics for change that are consistent with the group's prevailing pluralistic values.

17 people found this helpful

Understanding The Fundamentals of Change!

Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2013

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Below are key excerpts from the book that I found particularly insightful:

1) "What looks like a people problem is often a situation problem."

2) "Now you've had a glimpse of the basic three-part framework we will unpack in this book, one that can guide you in any situation where you need to change behavior: 1) Direct the Rider. What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity. So provide crystal-clear direction. 2) Motivate the Elephant. What looks like laziness is often exhaustion. The Rider can't get his way by force for very long. So it's critical that you engage people's emotional side—get their Elephants on the path and cooperative. 3) Shape the Path. What looks like a people problem is often a situation problem. We call the situation (including the surrounding environment) the "Path." When you shape the Path, you make change more likely, no matter what's happening with the Rider and Elephant."

3) "The Miracle Question doesn't ask you to describe the miracle itself; it asks you to identify the tangible signs that the miracle happened...Once they've helped patients identify specific and vivid signs of progress, they pivot to a second question, which is perhaps even more important. It's the Exception Question: "When was the last time you saw a little bit of the miracle, even just for a short time?""

4) "Big problems are rarely solved with commensurately big solutions. Instead, they are most often solved by a sequence of small solutions, sometimes over weeks, sometimes over decades. And this asymmetry is why the Rider's predilection for analysis can backfire so easily. When the Rider analyzes a problem, he seeks a solution that befits the scale of it. If the Rider spots a hole, he wants to fill it, and if he's got a round hole with a 24-inch diameter, he's gonna go looking for a 24-inch peg. But that mental model is wrong."

5) "Ambiguity is the enemy. Any successful change requires a translation of ambiguous goals into concrete behaviors. In short, to make a switch, you need to script the critical moves."

6) "In creating change, though, we we're interested in goals that are closer at hand—the kinds of things that can be tackled by parents or middle managers or social activists. We want a goal that can be tackled in months or years, not decades. We want what we might call a destination postcard—a vivid picture from the near-term future that shows what could be possible."

7) "The Rider's strengths are substantial, and his flaws can be mitigated. When you appeal to the Rider inside yourself or inside others you are trying to influence, your game plan should be simple...First, follow the bright spots...Next, give direction to the Rider."

8) "Kotter and Cohen observed that, in almost all successful change efforts, the sequence of change is not ANALYZE-THINK-CHANGE, but rather SEE-FEEL-CHANGE. You're presented with evidence that makes you feel something. It might be a disturbing look at the problem, or a hopeful glimpse of the solution, or a sobering reflection of your current habits, but regardless, it's something that hits you at the emotional level. It's something that speaks to the Elephant."

9) " Most of the big problems we encounter in organizations or society are ambiguous and evolving. They don't look like burning platform situations, where we need people to buckle down and execute a hard but well-understood game plan. To solve bigger, more ambiguous problems, we need to encourage open minds, creativity, and hope."

10) " In the identity model of decision making, we essentially ask ourselves three questions when we have a decision to make: Who am I? What kind of situation is this? What would someone like me do in this situation? Notice what's missing: any calculation of costs and benefits. The identity model explains the way most people vote, which contradicts our notion of the "self-interested voter.""

11) "That's the paradox of the growth mindset. Although it seems to draw attention to failure, and in fact encourages us to seek out failure, it is unflaggingly optimistic. We will struggle, we will fail we will be knocked down—but throughout, well get better, and we'll succeed in the end."

12) "Change isn't an event; it's a process. There is no moment when a monkey learns to skateboard; there's a process. There is no moment when a. a child learns to walk; there's a process. And there won't be a moment when your community starts to invest more in its school system, or starts recycling more, or starts to beautify its public spaces; there will be a process. To lead a process requires persistence. A long journey requires lots of mango."

48 people found this helpful

Top reviews from other countries

ANON

WOW Really inspirational & has many implications on how to live your life

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2013

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I was recommended this book and so glad I was. I can see how I can apply the philosophy in my personal and professional life. Indeed the books website helps you shift your focus to read with a personal point of view or work. However, I found so many aha moments that I had to scribble in a lot of margins and underscore many very true statements - I haven't read a book that dragged me in so much in a few months.
I understand much clearer why 'head office' had declared dramatic changes and nothings happened and how inspirational Area Managers say one sentence and its motivated the whole team. Now I can do the same for my own little posse and hope to gain their full backing for changes I want to make.
Personally, I feel there is a clearer path towards gaining a happy and more fulfilled life; how I can inspire a teenager to tidy their room or do the washing up, how I can achieve chores without it being a chore, or even how I can exercise more without the excuses - now that is worth the book price in its own right!
You shouldn't just read this book, you should digest and think and revisit. You should give yourself time to make notes, set a plan and try a new way of living/working.
The writing style is understandable, humorous and thought provoking.

18 people found this helpful

Leanne

Lots of examples but quite similar

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2021

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I bought this book as part of learning more about marketing but I found that it was essentially the same message throughout the book. I'll still be putting it into action where possible though.

It essentially talks about our emotional side (the elephant) along with our rational side (the rider) and includes lots of examples for both.

One person found this helpful

Stephen Green

Switched on

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 15, 2013

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This is a clever, inspirational book which works on a number of levels. It is an easy and accessible book which demonstrates success in a wide variety of spheres, often achieved with scant resources, which offers a methodology that can be repeated by ordinary people as well as leaders. It is not particularly or exclusively a business book. It is for anybody who sees a situation and contemplates how it can be changed, even down to the behaviour moderation of one individual, or even the person that looks at you through the mirror each day. Teachers, nurses, community leaders or concerned citizens could all relate to the content and imagine new possibilities.

On the level of entertainment the book is similar to Superfreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance . The book has amusing quips and turns of phrase that lightens the subject matter from that of a text book. Yet the book is fully referenced with study, research and quotation information, should the reader wish to get into more depth. I know that some people who read these reviews have already read the book and are curious about what other people think. Therefore I will list some of my personal highlights of the book. I hope for those considering the book it will also ignite curiosity. I liked exhaustible self control, 424 gloves, 1% milk. Bright spots. A husband forgets his wife's birthday. Miner county. No dry holes. Where did you find six dumb people? Attila the accountant. Rock bottom. The burning platform. Loyalty cards. 5 minute room rescue. Money makeover. A miracle scale. Brasilata. Safe driving. Fundamental Attribution Error. Saints and jerks. Sterile cockpit. Mike Romano. The humble checklist. Designated driver. Fataki the sugar-daddy. The skateboarding monkey. I hope this gives you an idea of the way that an amusing anecdote becomes a powerful and memorable learning.

The variety of these techniques is best appreciated at the end of the book. There is a summary of change-making examples at the end of the book changing the book into a manual for change rather than just a passive read. The authors summarize all the techniques you could deploy, if you haven't just skipped to the end. It is a great reminder that this is not just a collection of stories or examples but part of a collection of strategies that are repeatable in your own context. This book contains a perfect recipe for turning what is and what could be from fantasy to reality.

5 people found this helpful

Pete

A good guide to change, especially for large organisations

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2011

Verified Purchase

Switch is a book that contains a wealth of information, both in terms of leading research into exacting change and also practical tips on how to implement that research. It is filled with case studies and examples of success stories, and whatever your particular area of change is, you are bound to find one that is a close match. Most of the premise of the book centres around the notion of the elephant-and-rider metaphor, and how people often attribute failed change to the wrong causes. In this regard, the central message of the book is fairly short, however it is explored in great detail which helps avoid the facets being overlooked.

It is written in an easily accessible style, and strikes a good balance between the formal and informal approach. Personally, I felt it was possibly a little long, and it wasn't a book that 'grabbed' me as some others have. However, the information contained in its pages is worth the investment, and touches onto areas of social and behavioural psychology outside of its core remit of bringing about change. It is a highly practical book, clearly written for an audience who are movers and shakers themselves.

One thing to note is that the book takes the professional and ethical approach to manipulating others, so don't expect clever NLP routines to bamboozle your friends into doing what you want: this is a book about changing workplaces, businesses, groups and governments, and doing so for the long-term. It is not a book of quick-fixes by any means. But this is good, as it shows that the authors are treating their subject seriously, and regard change as something that needs buy-in from all involved, not be force-fed to a reluctant or unaware audience. Derren Brown this is not.

I would recommend this book to anyone who works in or with an establishment which seems reluctant to "understand" or "appreciate" why change is necessary. You will learn that usually it is not the people who are at fault, but the collective situation they find themselves in. Then the book will teach you how to address that.

18 people found this helpful

md3347

Change, rethought.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 20, 2013

Verified Purchase

Switch is a brilliant book for anyone interested in a non-academic approach to change / change management. Set around three core areas - Direct the Rider (the rational mind), motivate the elephant (the heart/motivation) and shape the path (as it sounds!) the Heath's use real world examples and put it across in a way that is meaningful to anyone trying to approach change.

The goal setting discussed (such as black and white goals that focuses the group on the task at hand) and following the brightspots, looking at what works and how it can be cloned rather than focusing relentlessly on what is 'wrong' are tools I have adapted into my own working life. I also loved other areas such as really demonstrating the issue (they give an example where an organization had many suppliers of rubber gloves and instead of doing a presentation to the board someone got a pair of gloves to represent every supplier and dumped the lot on the boardroom table. It just echos: this must change

There are frequent check points for you to try apply the logic to an example as well as a summary section at the back (although it makes no sense if you haven't read the book, so don't think you can just skip to it!). This is a good book and regardless of your background or interest in change you will finish with a great set of approaches that everyone can understand without the all the usual acronyms and certifications that usually surround the topic.

5 people found this helpful

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