Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard
In order for companies to be successful in the long run, they must be willing to change the way they do things, even if it’s hard to do so. Companies often have struggled to make the changes they have to since they often get complacent in how things are run. In the book I read for this project, Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, Chip and Dan Heath go through some of the main reasons why companies need to change, even when it’s hard. The Heath brothers used their years of market research experience to point out how successful companies can change the way they’re run. Throughout the book, the Heath’s point out the three main reasons why change is necessary, while also giving other reasons why those changes are necessary.
At the beginning of the book, the Heath’s talk about a study that was done at a movie showing of Mel Gibson’s Payback in Chicago in 2000. The consumers who were at the movie were given a free soda and popcorn and were asked questions after the showing. Both of the buckets that were handed to the movie goers were bigger than any one person could eat. None of the participants were able to finish their popcorn, however, the consumers ate more popcorn from the bigger bucket than the smaller one. The Heath’s go on to say that although change is scary, marketers must be willing to change so that they do the best research possible.
The first way to see if change is necessary, according to the Heath’s is that you must make sure the company is going the right way. It is important for you to be the “rider” meaning that you must know how to direct your company through the obstacles it faces, and it will respond accordingly. The next step in the phase is you must script critical moves, meaning that you need to think out your plans before you do anything. The Heath’s talk about how if a person is going to get surgery, they will plan their recovery the second after it happens, just like how it would be done in the business world. Using the first two steps, you can now point the desired destination. It is also important to find the feeling that you wish to convey throughout your company.
Another important step in this is that you must learn how to motivate your company. One way this can be done is by finding the feeling that you want to convey. Target was used as an example as they brought in Isaac Mizrahi, a well-known designer to design their curtains for them, giving their brand some relevance. It is also important to shrink the change, meaning that you must not change your workers work load too extremely. The Heath’s continue to say that you must grow your workers, making them better workers for the new business strategy that will be added.
Finally, you must correctly shape your plan if you want your company to be successful. The first step in this is that you must tweak the environment that your company is in, making it a more work-friendly environment. It is also important to build habits in your company, meaning that all the workers must be on the same page and willing to work together. The final step is to rally the heard, meaning that you want your workers to all rally around each other in order to build a brotherhood together.
I would recommend this book because it gives us a glimpse of how a company can change for the good without upsetting your customers or consumers. Although it can be hard to change, it is normally best for the company as a whole.
