- Published on
Reset
- Authors
- Name
- Josh Haines
- @joshhaines
Introduction
Reset is the 4th book by Dan health I've read & reviewed after:
- Upstream - Dan Heath
- Made to Stick - Chip & Dan Heath
- Switch - Chip & Dan Heath
Each book has been great, and this one is no exception. In this book, Dan works to convey some simple concepts on how to reset progress on an effort and get things moving again. Most of what he says isn't novel, but the way he packages it and explains it feels different than I've read before. Rather than trying to review the whole book, I'm going to hit a few high points that stuck with me.
Finding Leverage Points
Reset often discusses the concept of leverage and leverage points. His key points are around the idea that leverage is under utilized and outsized in its power to unstick situations and problems. I like this idea. This is one of those concepts that is easy to forget and easy to ignore when you hear it. His point on finding small efforts and actions with larger impacts are important. You can't always find these, but sometimes they exist if you make it a point to look.
Goal of the Goal
This was a strange one. It's a strange phrasing and it took some time after hearing this section of the book to finally clicked for me. People hear problems and then create goals. Often these goals or metrics don't truly get after the heart of the original need.
Said another way, they don't deliver whatever the core business value is. Ever since reading The Art of Business Value by Mark Schwartz I think about this more easily than I used to. By understanding What am I trying to deliver that will actually make the difference? the Goal of the Goal becomes more clear. I like this phrasing and concept.
Miracle Question
It was in this area that Dan mentions his "Miracle Question." Here it is:
If a miracle happened overnight and this problem was completely solved, what would be the first small sign you'd notice in the morning?
This question was strange but powerful. It forces you to be specific, he makes a note you can't just say "things would be better." It can also drive you to something key on a leverage point. If you think the first noticeable thing would be X... what if there is an easy way to achieve X much faster and easier?
He mentions this concept came from solution-focused therapy which makes me like it even more.
Wrap-Up
The book is more comprehensive, but these points were the stickiest to me. There is something else about Dan's books compared to others in my list. So many of the other books feel like they contain one or two core ideas that would make for good blog posts which they then fluffed out to full books. I'm not mad about that, but it influences the way I read them and understand them. Dan's books don't strike me this way even though only a couple ideas have stuck with me.
I think Dan is thoughtful and purposeful in the way he drafts his books to ensure every bit is at least intended to be useful. As a reader I certainly appreciate that extra effort.
