Beyond Biases

In their new book, Chip and Dan Heath lay out a path for making better decisions.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, and in our own lives?

The primary obstacle is a conflict that’s built into our brains, say Chip and Dan Heath, authors of the critically acclaimed bestseller Made to Stick. Psychologists have discovered that our minds are ruled by two different systems—the rational mind and the emotional mind—that compete for control. … [ Read more ]

It’s the Situation, Stupid

Dan Heath explains how the environment has a tremendous influence on the way that we act and asks, “at work can you find ways to make your people better simply by changing their situation?”

Made to Stick: Sparking Curiosity

Dan Heath talks about how to get your ideas across through the power of testable credentials.

Made to Stick: Watch the Game Film

Dan Heath and Chip Heath ask, Have you been looking closely enough at your business?

Don’t Recruit Next Generation Talent, Grow It

Dan Heath and Chip Heath explain why you should grow your next generation of talent, not recruit it.

Made to Stick: Giving Presentations

Dan Heath speaks with Fast Company on how to avoid “that dreaded bullet-drenched PowerPoint that everybody hates”.

Get Out of Maslow’s Basement

Dan Heath speaks about appealing to the higher levels of employee motivation.

Business Advice From Van Halen

Dan Heath and Chip Heath go to eighth grade, Google, and a Van Halen concert to find early-warning signals for big problems.

Author’s Choice: Getting Back on Track

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com and author of Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose, introduces a lesson on how to rally employees around a unified plan from Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.

Switch: Don’t Solve Problems—Copy Success

Find a bright spot and clone it.

That’s the first step to fixing everything from addiction to corporate malaise to malnutrition. A problem may look hopelessly complex. But there’s a game plan that can yield movement on even the toughest issues. And it starts with locating a bright spot — a ray of hope.

Why Your Gut Is More Ethical Than Your Brain

If you’ve ever been part of a discussion on ethics, in school or elsewhere, chances are you didn’t spend much time talking about your feelings. It’s believed that to live ethically, we must engage our reason, which reins in the whims and follies of emotion. Ethics, then, is heavy on Spock and light on Sally Struthers. But what if unethical behavior is actually spurred, rather … [ Read more ]

Dan Heath, Chip Heath

Our rational brain has a problem focus when it needs a solution focus. If you are a manager, ask yourself, What is the ratio of the time you spend solving problems versus scaling successes? We need to switch from archaeological problem solving to bright-spot evangelizing.

Why It May Be Wiser To Hire People Without Meeting Them

When the economy finally turns around, you’ll start hiring people again. You’ll sift through dozens of impressive-sounding résumés — who knew there were so many VPs in the world? — and bring in the standouts for the critical final stage: the interview. You’ll size them up, test the “culture fit,” and peer into their souls. Then you’ll make your decision. This is the Official Hiring … [ Read more ]

Three Secrets to Make a Message Go Viral

Viral marketing has become a hip, low-cost way to reach a lot of people very quickly — with little effort. But as marketers slash ad budgets, “viral” needs to mean more than “free” and “fueled by prayer.” Making an idea contagious isn’t a mysterious marketing art. It boils down to a couple of simple rules.

Heroic Checklist

Why you should learn to love checking boxes.

Leadership Is a Muscle

How is your attitude about your abilities affecting your success?