lance cashion: remote control

Review: "Switch" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Switch hit book stores yesterday.  Let me begin by saying thanks to my friend Daniel Tardy over at Dave Ramsey's office for sending me an advance copy of the book. A very clever contest imo.  It's late and I'm tired... this post is a 40 minutes tardy for the deadline but it's been a long week. 

Switch goes down many paths and paints many pictures of Change.  We're not talking about change for the sake of change.  We're talking about change for the sake of good (improving health, increasing business, serving others, teaching, increasing efficiency, saving lives, etc).  The book lays out several examples of instigating and executing change successfully where change is needed but may appear difficult.  I noticed most of the examples used in the book were real-life stories where an underdog character or group made something happen that caused a positive event to occur.  These methods were simple, effective and were deployed by people who set out to solve a problem and/or make an improvement. Simplicity seems counter-intuitive but the authors provide some great narrative and examples to point out that big change does not need big planning or extensive research.  Being creative and recognizing what actually motivates people to abandon old behavior patterns and buy into something different that will improve the situation or environment is the thread that runs through the tapestry created in "Switch".  Focusing on bright spots, keeping well away from too many options that cause Decision Paralysis and other insights add a deeper psychological nuance to the book that I enjoyed and overlooked in my own attempts to make change happen.  

The Elephant and Rider analogy is used as the relational theme of struggle, cooperation and perseverance throughout the book (Our rational and emotional minds). I could relate to the stories used to illustrate what makes up change and how to make it happen when you may feel like you are up against an impenetrable wall of opposition.  It's the Elephant's directed strength and endurance that will transform that wall into a door.  But, its the Rider who must direct the initial process and map the "critical moves" to reach the goal.  Both must work in concert to achieve results.  Apart, they are ineffective.

I found "Switch" to be fascinating.  Although, there were a couple stories that seemed to drag a bit.  I learned applicable lessons.  From the psychology of initializing change to the after effects of change.  The end user experience, the lives transformed, the innovation, the improvement made by an individual human with one idea, one vision that made the world different in a good way.  Casting a vision that stirs emotions and conjures up "feelings" seem to be the best way the Rider can direct the Elephant's behavior.  Often the change I wanted dies a death of a thousand cuts by way of over-analysis, too much research and no gas left in the self-control tank. 

Reading "Switch" was a rewarding experience.  More reviews can be found on Daniel Tardy's Blog here...

Lance Cashion

Application: Decision Paralysis

Don't paralyze your customers

A take away from the book "Switch" and business application to health insurance sales: Below is the body of the email I sent to my team earlier today.

Decision Paralysis:

-More options, even good ones, can freeze (a customer’s) ability to make a decision. (from Switch)

-A condition of not being able to decide on a matter when there is no clear cut best option. It leads to an ever longer period of gathering more information in the hope that more information will guide the decision maker to an option that is clearly better.

Providing too many options (while well-intentioned) actually harms the potential customer you are trying to serve.  Having ONE lead-off plan is the most effective way to close sales.  Remember, you are the expert.  They depend on you to decide.

Decrease options, increase potential sales.  We lead the customer through the process of buying a plan versus giving them several plan options and pushing them to make a decision after we’ve just paralyzed their ability to decide with too much information.

At the end of the day, all of my customers walk away with EXACTLY what they need.  I serve them well and they give my contact info to their family and friends.  I become a part of their world b/c they respect me enough to allow me to work for them and know that I will do a good job for them.  My clients call me throughout the year just to chat.  I love it!  Unless you are an expert, self-serve health insurance not a good idea. 

Lance

Great Post: Quieting the lizard brain- by Seth Godin

I subscribe to just a handful of blogs.  Seth is one of the most valuable wells of insight I have found lately and I gain from reading his blog.  If you have not read "Tribes", I recommend it.  He also has a new book out called "Linchpin".  I'll be purchasing it after I finish reading my current book.  

Quieting the lizard brain- by Seth Godin

"How can I explain the never-ending irrationality of human behavior?

We say we want one thing, then we do another. We say we want to be successful but we sabotage the job interview. We say we want a product to come to market, but we sandbag the shipping schedule. We say we want to be thin but we eat too much. We say we want to be smart but we skip class or don't read that book the boss lent us.

The contradictions never end. When someone shows up and acts without contradiction, we're amazed. When an athlete just does the sport, or when a writer just writes the words, we can't help but watch, astonished at the purity of their actions. Why is it so difficult to do what we say we're going to do?"  Read the rest of the post here...

Support good ideas people.

Lance Cashion

Read the Old Testament in 2 Years!

Sound like a HUGE undertaking?

If you break it up into smaller piece, it can be done!  This is one of my main goals for 2010.  Basically, you will ready two chapters every day (except Saturdays and Sundays) for a year.  At the end of the year, you will have completed the Old Testament!  Think about the millions of people who own Bibles.  Now think about the number of them who have actually read the ENTIRE Old Testament!  You will be among the few.  If you exercises to stay in shape, why let your spirit atrophy?  Seems silly doesn’t it? 

If you engage this task, I guarantee your life will improve and peace will invade the areas of turmoil. 

Below is a ling to The Quest.  Are you up for a challenge?

Note: Use the NIV Versions of the Bible.  The reading takes 15-20 minutes MAX.  Don’t worry about starting at the Beginning to catch up.  Dive in on today’s date!

Resource Links:

The Quest (Reading Guide and Schedule)

Study Bible (Suggested)

Have a great day!

Lance Cashion

Enjoy Reading: 3 Books

I have never considered myself much of a reader. Actually, I love to read but time constraints and a short attention span hamper my attempts to get high volume reading done. Often I find myself reading 3 or 4 books at the same time. I'm sure this perplexes my sweet little wife who can blast through a book in a few days. It takes me months! I'm quite jealous b/c I am aware how much reading helps us learn and enjoy life.

My freshman high-school year at Avon Old Farms School in CT, I had an English teacher by the name of Mr. Clark. Now, Mr. Clark was in his mid-eighties and was reknown for his disdain for nonsense. He was not afraid to publicly call out a young man for acting foolish or being lazy. If he did not like you, you knew it (and so did everyone else on campus). In any event, he was one of the most impactful teachers I ever had in school. When I arrived in CT, I hated reading. After a few weeks into my freshman year, I began to love reading. It changed my life. About a year after I graduated from College. I was in NYC visiting some good friends and I decided to make the trek to Avon to see Mr. Clark. He had since retired and was living in an assisted living center near the school. I called him and we met for lunch. We visited for a couple hours. He had an extensive library and was good friends with the famous American poet, Robert Frost. This had always fascinated me. I asked him about his love of reading. He said, "Cashion, if you learn to love reading, no matter what your situation or you age, you can go anywhere and do anything." I asked for a reading list, he kindly wrote some books down for me and I headed back the NYC. He passed away shortly after. However, not before I was able to take my wife to his nursing home to meet him. He had been asleep, but a friend announced our arrival and he perked up and we enjoyed a short visit.

There is the background and here are books that I have recently read and recommend. I recommend daily reading of the Bible (first and foremost):

1. 
   
   Tribes- By Seth Godin
   
   This is a great book! It's about connecting folks around you and leading a tribe. It is about recognizing your potential as a leader who brings about change by marshalling others who believe the same. Most of this is done through the use of the internet. If you have never see yourself as much of a leader, but recognize the fact that you have qualities that can improve your part of the world (work, family, products, ideas, etc), I recommend giving this short book a read.
   
   "Part of Leadership…is The Ability To Stick With The Dream For a Long Time….Long Enough That the Critics Realize That You're Going to Get There One Way or Another…So They Follow."- Seth Godin (Tribes)
   
   
2. 
   
   QBQ – The Question Behind The Question- By John G. Miller
   
   This is another great book! QBQ is a short book about personal accountability. In a culture where blame and cover-your-tail bureaucracy rule the day, accountability is scarce and highly prized. After reading, you'll look at questions differently and you'll begin to see how important your approach to accountability is. It's all about recognizing traits in our own behavior and personality. You begin to ask question with "What" or "How" and use the word "I" rather than the opposite. This is action language. "What can I do to expedite this process or solve this problem?" "How can I help you with this issue?" You get it? Instead of ""Who dropped the ball?" "When is the department going to do their job right?" "When are we going to get more technology?" I've personally fallen into that trap and I have discovered that making the change improves my life. (I still screw up sometimes and blame, but I'm improving). Take responsibility in front of your family and/or team. See how they react when your personal accountability is on the forefront of all that you do.
   
   "From the smallest group to the largest corporation, from the lowest rung on the ladder to the highest office in the land, there's an epidemic of blame going on and no one seems immune. The CEO blames the vice president, who blames the manager, who blames the employee, who blames the customer, who blames the government, who blames the people, who blame the politicans, who blame the schools, who blame the parents, who blame the teen, who blames the dad, who blames the mom, who blames her manager, who blames the vice president, who blames the CEO, and on and on it goes. This is the 'Circle of Blame,' and it would be kind of funny it weren't so true. Blame and 'whodunit' questions solve nothing. They create fear, destroy creativity, and build walls." -John G. Miller (QBQ)
   
3. 
   
   How The Mighty Fall – by Jim Collins
   
   
   
   
   I have about ten pages left in this book and I find it one of the most fascinating books I have read about business. This is a business book for people who hate "business" books. Jim Collins researches once dominant organizations that have fallen from greatness to decline or irrelevance. This book points out the phases of decline and shows you how to change course and/or reverse decline. Interesting thing about organizations in the first stages of decline, they are not aware of the fact that they are in decline. Profitability does not prove that decline is happening. In fact, profitability can fog our vision. Interesting read and well-researched by a great author. Below is an outtake from the book:
   
   Stage 1 is hubris born of success. The company's people become arrogant, regarding success as virtually an entitlement.
   
   Stage 2 is the undisciplined pursuit of more -- more scale, more growth, more acclaim. Companies stray from the disciplined creativity that led them to greatness in the first place, making undisciplined leaps into areas where they cannot be great or growing faster than they can achieve with excellence, or both.
   
   Stage 3 is denial of risk and peril. Leaders of the company discount negative data, amplify positive data and put a positive spin on ambiguous data. Those in power start to blame external factors for setbacks rather than accept responsibility.
   
   Stage 4 is grasping for salvation. Common "saviors" include a charismatic visionary leader, a bold but untested strategy, a radical transformation, a "game changing" acquisition or any number of other silver-bullet solutions.
   
   Stage 5 is capitulation to irrelevance or death. Accumulative setbacks and expensive false starts erode financial strength and individual spirits to such an extent that leaders abandon all hope of building a great future. In some cases their leaders just sell out. In other cases the institution atrophies to utter insignificance.
   

Take some time to research these books. I'll add a few more at a later date! Enjoy!

Lance Cashion

Labels: books, jim collins, john g. miller, lance cashion, reading, seth godin