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The power of moments: why certain experiences have extraordinary impact-Simon & Schuster (2017)
The New York Times bestselling authors of Switch and Made to Stick explore why certain brief experiences can jolt us and elevate us and change us—and how we can learn to create such extraordinary moments in our life and work.…
- Release Date
- 2017
- Length
- 320 pages
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
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Our Review
About the book
Chip and Dan Heath examine why certain brief experiences stick with us for years and propose that such moments can be deliberately created. They organize memorable moments around four elements, elevation, insight, pride and connection, and apply them to classrooms, workplaces, customer service and personal life.
Our review
The Heaths turn their talent for frameworks toward memory and meaning, with charming results and a slightly thinner payoff than usual.
The premise is irresistible: most of life blurs together, but a few moments define us, so why not design more of them? The brothers fill the book with lovely examples, a hotel that delights guests with a popsicle hotline, a school’s signing day for college-bound seniors, a company that rethinks a new hire’s first day. Their four-part model is easy to grasp, and many readers will close the book with an idea for a celebration, a ritual or a gesture.
Compared with Switch or Made to Stick, though, the argument feels less sturdy. Much of the advice amounts to paying attention and making an effort, which is true but not revelatory, and the corporate examples sometimes tilt the book toward customer experience marketing. A few anecdotes also run longer than their lessons. It’s warm, thoughtful and easy to apply, just not as fresh as the Heaths’ best work.
What we loved
- Delightful real-world examples of memorable experiences
- An easy, practical four-part framework
- Useful ideas for teachers, managers and parents alike
Keep in mind
- Some insights feel like common sense dressed in a model
- Leans heavily on business and customer-service examples
Read it if you like
Readers of Switch and Made to Stick, Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering, or Daniel Pink’s When.
The verdict
A pleasant, idea-sparking guide to making experiences matter, best for readers who’ll actually plan a moment afterward.
