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Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life
by
"CHANGE OR DIE. What if you were given that choice? We're talking actual life and death now. Your own life and death. What if a well-informed, trusted authority figure said you had to make difficult and enduring changes in the way you think, feel, and act? If you didn't, your time would end soon—a lot sooner than it had to. Could you change when change mattered most?"
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Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
January 2nd 2007
by Harper Business
(first published December 26th 2006)
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Start your review of Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life

My husband took a LEAN class over the summer and his instructor recommended this book. He really likes it a lot and he says he does use this information at work. I decided to read it(actually I listened to the audio version) because I find the study of change fascinating.
The main point of the book is: most people will try to entice other people to change using the three F's: facts, force and fear. These usually don't work at least not for the long term. He suggests that what does work are the t ...more
The main point of the book is: most people will try to entice other people to change using the three F's: facts, force and fear. These usually don't work at least not for the long term. He suggests that what does work are the t ...more

This is a cleverly written but superficial long essay based on the premise that no one ever changes health behaviors, and so it's amazing that the author has found a few examples of successful behavior change programs. The main fallacy here is that people never change and no one knows how to get them to change. What about cigarette smoking, car crashes, etc. ? We have seen enormous progress in these areas; millions of lives have been saved. How did that happen? With population-level, not individ
...more

This book brings up a couple of interesting questions. The one that is most interesting is this: why do people find it so hard to change their behaviors even when it's literally a matter of life and death? You'd think the possibility of DYING would be enough to get people to improve their diets or stop doing drugs or participating in dangerous activities, but it clearly isn't. The author suggests that negative reinforcements are not as powerful as positive reinforcements, which may be true, but
...more

The book, while interesting, wasn't very instructive. Deutschman outlines his three key points for change, and spends the entire book bringing in real-life examples of how they have been applied. He doesn't really go into too much detail about the psychology of change, or realistic examples of how one can change the smaller things in one's life. For example, chapter on "Changing a Loved One" just summarized Bill Gates' relationship with his mother, and really failed to give any practical advice
...more

Apr 25, 2017
Chafic (Rello)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
nonfiction
I'm quite torn about this book. Not for it's content or its message, but rather I should give it a rating of 3 or 4, since it fits exactly into a 3.5 for me.
I found the book quite enjoyable, mostly cause I'm a sucker for case studies and this was chalk full of them. It was informative and has a very good outline in assimilating change.
I think this is a definite must-read for those wanting to read more non-fiction, albeit the showy title.
Definitely keeps you thinking.
4.01 / 5 ...more
I found the book quite enjoyable, mostly cause I'm a sucker for case studies and this was chalk full of them. It was informative and has a very good outline in assimilating change.
I think this is a definite must-read for those wanting to read more non-fiction, albeit the showy title.
Definitely keeps you thinking.
4.01 / 5 ...more

One of my all-time favorite non-fiction books - Alan Deustchman's "Change or Die" - poses a question as compelling as any you're ever likely to hear. If you had to change your beliefs and behaviors or risk premature death, could you do it? You may think so, but the well-documented scientific research is betting against you. Nine to one against you, in fact. But there's hope as Deutschman details in this page-turner. Experts in a variety of fields including healthcare, criminal rehabilitation, an
...more

Another 'barticle' -- an article that mushroomed into a book. The idea here is that you can change things you want to, like bad habits, or obesity or whatever, by doing three things: getting human support (relate), learning new habits (repeat) and by learning new ways of thinking (reframe). One is tempted to say that this tripartite solution merely defines change rather than making it possible by revealing deep secrets, but that's carping. If you do these three things, you can change the toughes
...more

If you want to change go for the 3 R's (relate, repeat, reframe) rather than the 3 F's (facts, fear, force). If you want to get the most of out this book, read the intro and skip the rest.
...more

A Blueprint for Change Agents
Author Alan Deutchman writes powerfully about the phenomenon of personal change – both in our professional and “real” lives. He starts with the arresting premise that, even if faced with the stark choice of changing or dying, many people would slack off. Instead, he offers three factors for genuine change and case studies illustrating these lessons.
The case studies include
• A successful homeless/rehab shelter in San Francisco
• Dean Ornish’s diet and wellness work wi ...more
Author Alan Deutchman writes powerfully about the phenomenon of personal change – both in our professional and “real” lives. He starts with the arresting premise that, even if faced with the stark choice of changing or dying, many people would slack off. Instead, he offers three factors for genuine change and case studies illustrating these lessons.
The case studies include
• A successful homeless/rehab shelter in San Francisco
• Dean Ornish’s diet and wellness work wi ...more

Change is integral to growth.
Do you ever wonder why you make a good change ... and then fall back into your old ways after a week? or a couple of days?? or 2 days???
Why is change so very difficult?
It's not enough to just acknowledge change and want to make change.
One must relate, repeat and reframe change that they wish to make - and therein is another important aspect of change - YOU must want and wish for change, or it will be a flash in the pan.
Favourite quote: "No matter how successful we ar ...more
Do you ever wonder why you make a good change ... and then fall back into your old ways after a week? or a couple of days?? or 2 days???
Why is change so very difficult?
It's not enough to just acknowledge change and want to make change.
One must relate, repeat and reframe change that they wish to make - and therein is another important aspect of change - YOU must want and wish for change, or it will be a flash in the pan.
Favourite quote: "No matter how successful we ar ...more

This book is quick and easy to read. The key idea is explained clearly using examples from heart patients, criminals and companies. A must read for people who believe that "burning platforms" are the way to motivate others to change. My favourite quote is "People don't resist change, they resist being changed". If you see change as an active learning process, you can tackle it more successfully.
...more

This book was compelling, but I'd have liked it better if there had been fewer lengthy examples of groups and companies that had effected change and more concrete examples of individuals who had effected and maintained change in their lives. It's well worth reading though.
...more

Decent premise but the book didn't follow through.
...more

As a typical high-schooler/early undergrad attempting to finish writing assignments, I upheld the same level of academic integrity expected of most that age.
I latched on to curious ideas, Googled phrases related to them, chose whatever sources either fully backed up, or could be twisted in order to back up, my "original" idea, and fleshed out enough semi-relevant, yet rarely coherent rambling to fulfill the required word count.
Then I grew up a little bit.
Not that I started writing better pape ...more
I latched on to curious ideas, Googled phrases related to them, chose whatever sources either fully backed up, or could be twisted in order to back up, my "original" idea, and fleshed out enough semi-relevant, yet rarely coherent rambling to fulfill the required word count.
Then I grew up a little bit.
Not that I started writing better pape ...more

The meat of this book is in the three case studies covering advanced heart disease patients, hardened criminals, & floundering ad agencies facing the rise of the Internet. The research says these people can't make real change, except it's proven they can, & extremely effectively at that. Alan Deutschman shows what particular experts have been doing for years to fly in the face of conventional understanding. And if a third-generation criminal addict can turn their life around permanently, you can
...more

Even though it doesn't seem like it from the name, the book gives great insight into psychological concepts along with inspiring case studies. It teaches examples of change that demonstrate how our mind can be our most powerful tool, great when we know how to use it but dangerous when we don't.
I'd recommend it if you feel stuck at work, in your personal life, between decisions or suffering from mental or physical issues. I'm sure it will inspire you to change and use your mind the best way you c ...more
I'd recommend it if you feel stuck at work, in your personal life, between decisions or suffering from mental or physical issues. I'm sure it will inspire you to change and use your mind the best way you c ...more

Great stories
A very good book with great stories about people and companies I had heard of and some I hadn't. The title caught my attention. But I must say that though I enjoyed the book, I couldn't tell you his model for achieving change. I need to read it again in order to get the full benefit. ...more
A very good book with great stories about people and companies I had heard of and some I hadn't. The title caught my attention. But I must say that though I enjoyed the book, I couldn't tell you his model for achieving change. I need to read it again in order to get the full benefit. ...more

I need to stop listening to business books in stints. I seem to remember a little bit about this book but it's mostly a blur. I read another business book at the same time and then listened to one at the same time and now the three have amalgamated themselves in my mind as a single work.
...more

A helpful model for understanding why change is hard and alternate ways to approach change.

Aug 19, 2017
Carin
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
i-want-to-read-again,
non-fiction-read
Great insights, evidence & advice
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Alan Deutschman is currently writing "Walk the Walk," a book about leadership, which will be published in September 2009 by the Portfolio imprint at Penguin.
His blog about leadership is at:
http://www.leaderswalkthewalk.blogspo... ...more
His blog about leadership is at:
http://www.leaderswalkthewalk.blogspo... ...more
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