Yes, I'm trying to be sticky

Aug 10

By Ann Kingman Uncategorized Add comments

Today I am recommending a book that everybody can use. If you are alive, you need water. If you communicate, you need this book.

Whether you are a teacher, a parent, an employee, or the CEO of a corporation, you need to read this book.

Of the 42 books I’ve read so far this year, Made to Stick is the most useful. My copy has several dog-eared corners, and a bunch of purple Post-It notes sticking out of the top.

made to stick

I bet you try to peel

First, the cover of the book. I defy you NOT to try and remove the tape. It looks and feels like there really is a piece of duct tape on the jacket. Whenever I set this book down on the table, one of my kids starts playing with it. It’s the Pat the Bunny of business books.

So do you want to know what it’s about?

What makes ideas “sticky”? Why do we all know the story about the man who woke up in a hotel bathtub filled with ice to find out that his kidney had been stolen? How do you get people to go along with your ideas? The Heaths describe the 6 traits that you can use to help people grasp what you want them to know or to do what you want them to do.

Use it on your kids

You’ll probably find this in the business section of your bookstore. While there are immediate applications for people who do presentations and write papers, I see a lot of value in this book for parents and teachers. It’s prescriptive — there are specific things that you can do immediately to implement the ideas in this book. When I help my daughter with her homework, I am often struggling for ways to explain a concept that she doesn’t understand. Now that I’ve read this book, I think I have the ammunition to better help her. I plan to use the ideas in this book to make “you must clean your room” into a sticky idea. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Did I mention that it’s fun and entertaining?

I know, you think business books are dull and boring. I used to think that, too. But lately there has been a movement to publish business books that people will actually want to read — think Freakonomics, The Tipping Point, anything by Seth Godin. And to that end, I am happy to say that Made to Stick can be placed on that list. I even curled up with this book at bedtime — it’s that engaging.

What I want you to do

I want you to read this book. (Chip and Dan say that concreteness helps to make an idea sticky).

If you still feel that you need more information, visit the book’s website to learn more about the authors, read their blog, and see what other people have said about it.

Then, go to your bookstore, get it from your library, borrow it from a friend. Read it. Then tell someone else about it. And see if you can do it in a way that is sticky.

If you’ve already read it, or have anything to add, please leave a comment here. I’d love to know what you think.

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We encourage you to write down or print out the title information and shop at your local bookstore. Titles link to LibraryThing, a social networking site that allows you to catalog your home library. LibraryThing also links to various online purchasing options. Here are the books from this post:

Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, Random House hardcover, $25.00, ISBN 9781400064281

(all information is the U.S. editions)

http://donstuff.wordpress.com donstuff

I’m willing to get stuck. I really liked The Tipping Point and this sounds as if it is similar.
http://donstuff.wordpress.com donstuff

I’m willing to get stuck. I really liked The Tipping Point and this sounds as if it is similar.
http://www.trishlawrence.com/blog Trish

Great book! I agree it’s right up there with Seth Godin and Malcolm Gladwell in terms of entertaining and faster (read: energy) reads. I love the idea of concreteness as well. I think we should require that of political candidates and news anchors as well.

Keep up the great work on this blog. What a great resource. You’re on my blogroll!
http://www.trishlawrence.com/blog Trish

Great book! I agree it’s right up there with Seth Godin and Malcolm Gladwell in terms of entertaining and faster (read: energy) reads. I love the idea of concreteness as well. I think we should require that of political candidates and news anchors as well.

Keep up the great work on this blog. What a great resource. You’re on my blogroll!
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com ann

Don – thanks! Hope you like it — please come back and let everyone know what you think once you’ve read it.

Trish — Thank you so much for adding us to your blogroll. I’m honored. I love your idea of “energy” reads — that sums it up perfectly! (concreteness from political candidates — what a concept!)
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com ann

Don – thanks! Hope you like it — please come back and let everyone know what you think once you’ve read it.

Trish — Thank you so much for adding us to your blogroll. I’m honored. I love your idea of “energy” reads — that sums it up perfectly! (concreteness from political candidates — what a concept!)
http://marmiteandtea.wordpress.com Marmite and Tea

Sounds like a really interesting read, thanks for recommending it.
http://marmiteandtea.wordpress.com Marmite and Tea

Sounds like a really interesting read, thanks for recommending it.
http://readerville.wordpress.com Rebecca @ Readerville

Sounds like one that could be useful for me at work (since I’m constantly trying to convince people of the various books they need to read) and as a blogger…I don’t generally read from this genre, though I do love Malcolm Gladwell and Freakonomics , but I may have to give this one a shot.
http://readerville.wordpress.com Rebecca @ Readerville

Sounds like one that could be useful for me at work (since I’m constantly trying to convince people of the various books they need to read) and as a blogger…I don’t generally read from this genre, though I do love Malcolm Gladwell and Freakonomics , but I may have to give this one a shot.
Susan

I already own it, now I just have to pick it up and read it!

Thanks for the push.
Susan

I already own it, now I just have to pick it up and read it!

Thanks for the push.
http://www.annhandley.com Ann Handley

This is a great book — agreed. We had Chip Heath keynote our Chicago marketing event last year (at MarketingProfs) and he was smart, funny, articulate.. which gave the book more resonance for me (and, I’m guessing, many of us in the room).
http://www.annhandley.com Ann Handley

This is a great book — agreed. We had Chip Heath keynote our Chicago marketing event last year (at MarketingProfs) and he was smart, funny, articulate.. which gave the book more resonance for me (and, I’m guessing, many of us in the room).
http://booksonthenightstand.com/2010/01/botns-books-podcast-61-big-ideas.html BOTNS Books Podcast #61: Big Ideas | Books on the Nightstand

[...] “Big Idea” book that came out a few years ago is Made to Stick (which Ann wrote about here). The authors of that book have a new one out called Switch, and it’s about the difficulty [...]