
Member Reviews

RESET
Anyone who’s ever found themselves stuck in a proverbial rut, either in work or in life, will find plenty of helpful insight in Dan Heath’s book Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working.
As the title suggests, it’s a book about how to get, well, unstuck. Let’s face it: we’ve all been there at some point in our lives. Sometimes things just aren’t working out or we’re just desperate for a change. But it’s precisely finding what works or making that change happen that’s difficult. In his usual easy manner of “management by storytelling” Heath has a lot to say on the subject that is sure to be helpful to anyone willing to listen.
Personally, I enjoyed the book a lot. Heath’s work tends to appeal to me because of its uplifting tone and relatable lessons, occasionally with an ingenious acronym or metaphor thrown in to be memorable. He also manages introduce readers to the broader literature on the topic or matters that are topic-adjacent in a very natural and non-intimidating fashion. Reset, in that regard, will not disappoint.
Having said that, I was particularly curious to see what more he had to say on the subject because he has covered this ground before. After all, with his brother Chip he was also author of the excellent Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, which if one thinks about it is also a book about getting unstuck—because change itself is fundamentally about getting unstuck. How to go about it? As discussed in Switch, "Direct the rider, motivate the elephant, shape the path." Simple!
Heath makes no reference to any of this in Reset (better to not mix metaphors). Instead, he develops and expounds upon the following simple point: “To make things happen, you should Find Leverage Points and Restack Resources to push on those points.” This makes intuitive sense, as all change requires a fulcrum to move things out of the status quo and the resources to follow through with the change. Hence, Reset is a playbook for how to identify such leverage points and what to do once one knows where they are.
This basic premise aligns with and complements what Heath previously had to say in Switch, because the process of directing the rider, motivating the elephant, and shaping the path depend upon leverage points and resources, too. In that sense, Switch is more blueprint while Reset is akin to an operating plan. The former paints a broader view of change management while the latter is akin to a more practical guide to making change happen.

A great book from businesses and personal life in learning how to pivot when you get stuck in life and work processes. Lots of different examples and resources available for further reading. Highly recommend!

This business book blends Dan Heath's knowledge and research skills with expert storytelling to explain the model of resetting so that even the most seasoned business person will learn something new about their business or themselves. If you’re stuck in thinking “this is the way things have always been done” this book will inspire you to break free by finding a Leverage Point. I found it to be a great read even though I'm not in the corporate world because the concept of Leverage Points apply to every system. Thank you to Dan Heath, Avid Reader Press, and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of the Heath brothers, The Power of Moments, is one of my all time favorite professional development books. I was excited to see a new release from Dan in my approved ARCs. Reset highlights some interesting case studies about how to get more done by doing less. I’m not in the corporate world anymore, but I was still fascinated by examples, and I particularly enjoyed the sections on marriage and parenting.
Thank you to Dan Heath, Avid Reader Press, and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book about how to change what isn’t working. Many of the stories and examples are ones that showed the concepts in an easy to understand way. A few things I learned from this book are to keep making progress. If you are stuck, take a look at things differently, either by looking for bright spots or restacking your resources. Also letting the people around you have a say in their own work that they are working on. This book helped me feel like there are some great ways I can make changes in my everyday life and now I just need to start working on them.
Thank you to Dan Heath, NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: January 21, 2025

How to Change What’s Not Working!!
Having recently read Upstream as part of a book club, I knew I had to grab Reset at the first opportunity. What an amazing concept. Making changes that matter. Find the leverage points; places where a little bit of effort can yield a disproportionate return. Then restack resources. Simple, yet elegant.
Logically presented, with many relatable, easily understood examples. From Gemba, Toyota Way, agile and more as related concepts. The stories presented are the best part.
From hospital, schools, stray cats, trash, libraries, Home Depot, dialysis or an Olympic coach. These stories are relatable, believable, actionable and both amaze and entertain at how looking at things a different way and acting on them can make such impactful improvements.

The Heath brothers write incredible books. This is nothing shy of any other work. Made to Stick is one of the best marketing books out there. Mapping the system and motivations are my favorite chapters. If your looking to create change I would read this before the new year and follow the steps.

I’ve read every book by Dan Heath, and this may be his best yet!
This book has been on my TBR list since January 2024, and I’m so grateful I had the chance to read an advanced copy.
Reset builds on the idea that change is hard, but it doesn’t have to be. Dan breaks change down into two essential parts: finding leverage points and allocating resources. While this might sound like Management 101, Dan delivers a masterclass in what change actually looks like, presenting it in an easy-to-follow framework. Each chapter illustrates a step of this framework, and the examples he includes are the real stars of the show.
Most business books offer theory, theory, theory, and maybe a sprinkle of real-world application. Dan flips this on its head. In Reset, we dive into real problems with real people and learn alongside them. These stories are powerful examples of change in action, and they have incredible range—you’ll go from a fast food drive-thru to saving millions of cats to sending a satellite into space. By the end, you’ll feel both inspired to change the world and equipped with the confidence to play your part, big or small.
P.S. I’ve already used the “Target the constraint” concept with a client, and it worked incredibly well!

I ALWAYS enjoy Heath brother books, and although this one was missing Chip, it was still just as practical, down-to-earth, and accessible as the others. I loved all the case studies and examples of how to really think about how to solve problems that will give you the biggest bang for your buck. While the majority of the case examples are business-related in nature, I like to think about how to apply these principles to everyday life, and there were several of those examples throughout the book as well. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!