Ever heard that classic Rock and Roll urban legend?
You know, the one with the hair band that demanded to have every brown colored M&M completely removed from a large bowl in advance of their show? You know, how they'd cancel the entire concert, destroy the green room, and go back to their epic cross country party - that happened to feature concerts - all for that one little minuscule slip up?
The band was Van Halen, but it was Dan and Chip Heath that completely changed that legendary tale from Working with Prima Donnas: A Cautionary Tale, to Don't Let the 80's Rock Star Exterior Prevent you from Seeing Sheer Business Savvy.
Yes, the M&M story was real. Turns out that since the M&M stipulation was buried in the middle of their performance contract, it was an easy, measurable sign to see if the promoters had actually read through each line item. Pretty smart. Turns out that Dan and Chip, also known as "the Heath Brothers", are pretty smart rock stars in their own right.
If it weren't for the work of Dan and Chip Heath, stories like that, and many others, may not have the inroads to the business world. Through their best selling books, Made to Stick, Switch, Decisive, and regular articles in magazines like Fast Company - the Heath brothers give the world of business, people, and decision making an interesting angle.
Just like any industry, this doesn't go without its share of challenges. We caught up with Dan to ask him his thoughts on creating positive change in large companies. Here's what he had to say:
"We hear that 'change is hard' But that's not always true. Sometimes big changes happen smoothly. What explains those successes? I can't wait to share the answers with you in Fort Lauderdale."
Every Arthur Murray owner is a teacher, and teachers, with the right delivery, can become the best students. If you have read any of his books, you'll realize that Dan and Chip are masterful teachers. Dan mixes an incredible resume from both the business and teaching world. Having worked at the Harvard Business School, and co-founded the college textbook company Thinkwell - Dan's wealth of insight will put him center stage, on the final night, in front of a captive audience.
Kind of like a rock star.
No word yet on whether there is an M&M clause in Dan's speaking contract.
To learn more about Dan and Chip Heath, the books they've written, and their background - visit www.HeathBrothers.com
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