Made to Stick explains why some ideas survive and others stick. This book is inspired by Malcolm Gladwell’s bestselling book—The Tipping Point. In this book, the Heath brothers—Chip Heath, a professor at Stanford’s business school and Dan Heath, a teacher and textbook publisher—offer an entertaining, practical guide to effective communication.

Drawing extensively on psychosocial studies on memory, emotion and motivation, their study is couched in terms of “stickiness”—that is, the art of making ideas unforgettable. They start by relating the gruesome urban legend about a man who succumbs to a barroom flirtation only to wake up in a tub of ice, victim of an organ-harvesting ring.

What makes such stories memorable and ensures their spread around the globe? The authors credit six key principles—Simplicity, Unexpectedness, Concreteness, Credibility, Emotions and Stories. Each principle is explained and illustrated with stories, real life anecdotes and other examples.

The book contains an introduction, six chapters (explaining the six principles) and an epilogue. In the introduction the author explains why some ideas and stories ‘stick’ and explains the reasons for their stickiness. The authors proceed to give an overview the six key principles that make the ideas memorable and attractive. The authors also point out the reasons for the problems that make ideas unattractive and hence difficult to stick. The authors point out that creativity can be taught and gives an introduction to creativity improving templates.

The next six chapters explain the key principles that make ideas stick in detail. Each chapter includes real stories, anecdotes, examples, principles, etc. to explain the principle in a clear and concise manner that is enjoyable. Here the authors practices what they preach. Their explanations and ideas ‘stick’. Each chapter contains a clinic where the readers are given a problem to solve. This exercise will help in mastering the principle that make ideas ‘stick.’ The epilogue summarizes the principles mentioned in the book. It explains the power of spotting, difference between speakers and stickers, the villains that hinders stickiness (decision paralysis, curse of knowledge, etc.), how to make ideas stick, symptoms of non-stickiness and their solutions, and so on. The book also contains an easy reference guide, notes and an index.

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to communicate effectively and across a wide range of people. It will help all people from students, teachers, professionals, parents, scientists, politicians—in short people from all walks of life—to communicate ideas effectively and to make them stick.

Book Details:

• Editor: Chip Heath & Dan Heath
• Publisher: Random House
• Year: 2007
• ISBN: 1400064287
• Cover & Page Count: Hardcover, 304 Pages

You can order online at Amazon.