Author: Charles Duhigg
Publisher: Random House
Reviewer: Jenny Shaw, account executive at Mindshare UK.
I have been recommending this book to anyone who will listen. The Power of Habit, written by award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg explores the science behind why habits exist and how they can be changed. We spend our entire lives controlled by factors we are not fully aware off. Habits affect everything, what we eat and drink, if we smoke, how we exercise, spend money and the way we do business.
Bad habits hold us back, on a personal and business level. Reading The Power of Habit inspired me to finally stop smoking after fourteen years. It is still early days but the power that comes from breaking one bad habit has a ripple effect empowering transformation of all the areas of your life such becoming more productive and not munching away on cake all day at work.
From a business point of view changing bad business habits can revolutionise an entire company. Duhigg uses the example of Paul O’Neill, who took over as CEO of Alcoa, one of America’s largest companies. O’Neill’s first command was to change a single habit: safety in the workplace. By changing this habit he created a new positive pattern which started a chain reaction, changing other bad habits as it moved through the organisation. Within a year of O’Neill implementing the habit Alcoa’s profits hit a record high. By the time O’Neill retired the company’s annual net income was five times larger than before his arrival, and its market capitalisation had risen by $27 billion.
As B2B marketers we can help B2B companies break bad marketing habits, a seemingly small habit change has huge implications for a business. The biggest power we have as marketers is intelligence. Once we understand the science behind habits and behaviour we then have the power to change it.
Star Rating: 5/5