Connext Nation Monthly Book Report

Our guest blogger today is Don Kardux, President of Business Navigators.  He reads voraciously and provides a book report each month for the Connext Nation newsletter.  We have changed the format of the newsletter so we are going to have Don appear here once per month with his favorite book of the month.


This month's choice is:
Switch; How to Change Things When Change is Hard
by Chip and Dan Heath

"There is this Elephant and on his back is a Rider with reins and there is a path.
That's it, that's the summary of Chip & Dan's book.
The Elephant is our large emotional side
The Rider is our rational  side.
The path can be anywhere we decide to go.

From the book's introduction, "If you want to change things,  you have 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 Elephant, team members will have understanding without motivation.  If you reach the Elephant but not their Riders, they will have passion without direction.  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."

Thanks, Don, this is such a simple explanation of a giant issue.  As I sat here reading this I wondered if my Elephant is fully engaged!

What path is your Elephant and Rider on?