Dec 30 2024 17 mins 4
In this two part, year-ending series, I unpack the eleven book that should be a part of every leader’s library. If there are any books on this list you haven’t yet made time for, I suggest you carve out time in 2025 for each of them.
In last week’s episode, I covered books #11 through #6. This week, I walk through the top #5.
In that there are 11 books on the list, you can dedicate a month to each, giving yourself a bit of extra time to get through the last of them as the holidays get under way in November and December.
You have two ways to engage with this week’s content. You can simply scroll down and read through the list. Or, if you prefer, click the play button below and allow me to present them to you.
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5: Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath (2007)
Why do some ideas thrive while others die? The Heath brothers tackle this crucial question by breaking down the anatomy of ideas that stick. Through their SUCCESs framework – Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories – they reveal the key elements that make ideas memorable and impactful.
Let’s break down each element of the framework:
Simple: The brothers emphasize finding the core of any idea – what they call “finding the lead.” They share the brilliant example of Southwest Airlines’ core message: “We are THE low-fare airline.” This simple idea guided every decision, from which routes to fly to which planes to buy.
Unexpected: Our brains are wired to notice change and novelty. The book shows how breaking patterns and creating surprise helps ideas stick. They cite the example of a flight attendant who turned the routine safety announcement into a comedy routine – passengers not only paid attention but remembered the safety instructions.
Concrete: Abstract ideas don’t stick. The authors show how turning concepts into concrete images makes them memorable. They share the story of NASA’s “man on the moon” goal – a perfectly concrete vision that inspired thousands of people to solve countless technical challenges.
Credible: Ideas need to be believable. The book shows various ways to establish credibility, from statistics to sincerity to external validation. They share fascinating examples of “testable credentials” – like how Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas would personally visit restaurants and check the thickness of tomato slices.
Emotional: For people to take action, they need to care. The authors show how tapping into emotions makes ideas sticky. They explore how charity organizations like World Vision switched from sharing statistics about poverty to sharing stories about individual children, dramatically increasing donations.
Stories: The book demonstrates how narratives drive action by providing mental simulation and inspirat...
