Change within an organization is equal parts necessary and difficult. To survive, businesses need to develop new revenue streams, flip strategy on its head, and involve new and talented people in the process.

However, even the most thoughtful changes come with pushback. This tension can come from people, systems, and processes, and can derail change before it moves the needle of an organization.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard is a book written by Chip Heath, a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and his brother, Dan Heath, a consultant and author. The book provides a practical framework for leaders to make lasting changes within their organizations and dealing with the tension change can create.

In this book, the Heath brothers use the metaphor of an elephant and its rider to describe the dynamics of change. The elephant represents the emotional side of change, and the rider represents the logical side. The rider may have a clear plan, but if the elephant is not on board, the change will not occur.

The authors provide three steps to make successful changes:

This step involves identifying what the change should look like and creating a clear vision of the desired outcome. The authors suggest finding bright spots, which are examples of success within the organization, and focusing on what's working well. The Rider needs clear and specific goals, so the authors encourage leaders to create a concrete plan with measurable outcomes. In addition, the authors suggest scripting the critical moves that are needed to make the change happen. This provides a clear path for the Rider to follow.

This step involves creating an emotional connection with the change. The elephant is the emotional side of change and it needs to feel inspired and motivated. This section suggests finding ways to make the change relevant to people's lives and tapping into people's emotions. They suggest creating a sense of urgency and using stories to create an emotional connection. In addition, they suggest finding ways to shrink the change, so it's not overwhelming.

This step involves making the change easy to do. They suggest finding ways to remove obstacles and create a supportive environment. They suggest creating a culture that supports the change and finding ways to make it easy for people to make the change. They also suggest creating habits and routines that support the change.

The authors provide numerous examples of successful change efforts, such as how the US military dramatically reduced the number of accidental shootings, how a hospital improved hand-washing rates among staff, and how a school district improved student performance.

One of the key takeaways from the book is the importance of finding bright spots. Instead of focusing on what's not working, the authors suggest finding examples of success within the organization and building on those successes. This provides a foundation for change and creates a sense of hope and optimism.

The authors also stress the importance of creating a clear and compelling vision of the change. Leaders need to provide a clear picture of what the change will look like and why it's important. This helps to direct the Rider and create a sense of purpose for the Elephant.

Another important aspect of successful change is creating a culture that supports the change. The authors suggest finding ways to make the change easy to do and creating habits and routines that support the change. This helps to shape the path and make the change sustainable.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard gives a ton of helpful insight into managing change within organizations. The book emphasizes the importance of finding bright spots, creating a clear and compelling vision, and creating a culture that supports the change. The authors also stress the importance of creating a sense of urgency and finding ways to make the change easy to do. This book is an essential read for small to midsize business owners who want to make meaningful changes within their organizations.