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Upstream
- How to Solve Problems Before They Happen
- Narrated by: Dan Heath
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
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Upstream
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
New York Times bestselling author Dan Heath asks what happens when we take our thinking upstream and try to prevent problems before they happen.
We all have a tendency to work around problems. We are resourceful. We improvise. We’re so accustomed to managing emergencies as they strike that we often don’t stop to think about how we could prevent crises before they happen. Why 'solve' crimes when we could stop them being committed? Why treat chronic diseases when they could be prevented from developing? Why provide shelter for the homeless rather than working to keep people housed in the first place? Why do our efforts skew so heavily towards reaction rather than prevention?
The notion of preventing problems is an evergreen need in our professional and daily lives. Which makes Upstream a book for skeptical optimists - across all sectors - who know it's not going to be easy, but who believe that we have the capacity to solve some of our thorniest issues, if only we start to think about the system rather than the symptoms. Drawing on insights from Dan Heath's extensive research, as well as hundreds of new interviews with unconventional problem solvers, he delivers practical solutions for preventing problems rather than simply reacting to them.
Includes a supplementary PDF.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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What listeners say about Upstream
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Ismael Gutierrez
- 14-06-20
Insightful
This book is essentially about the unfair appraisal we all have for upstream and downstream work. Whilst the book relies too heavily on the same "example of success - Lesson" model, it is a very good defence of the importance of prevention and proactive attitudes at the office and at home.
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- SteveN
- 01-08-20
Insightful and Practical
The potential benefits offerd from the teachings in this book are huge, to be able to prevent rather than cure is not a new revelation but it is a lesson that the 'instant gratification' generations should learn and apply.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 15-09-20
would recommend
interesting book gave me ideas for some new projects at work. worth reading to take a step back and see things from another angle. case studies were interesting and almost all were new to me.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- JJ
- 28-07-22
A brain tickler
Really enjoyed this book. Really allows you think about the way we measure what we do. A little detailed in places but stick with it if you’re not a details person.
Highly recommended for anyone working as part of a system, from paid to voluntary, from business to sport and everything in between
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- Maeve
- 18-09-20
👍
So many sub-stories that I want to return back to that I had to buy the book too!
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- Ali
- 18-05-20
Change starts with study
Just finished reading “Upstream” by @danheath. I have to say I did enjoy the book, my view would be that the system needs to shift its perspective to an outside in as a system view and those measures of learning should be looked at overtime in capability charts to allow for effective learning.
For me the book had some useful ways to tactics and with the knowledge of John Seddon’s work of how to study, and change a system they could come in very handy but also equally as dangerous if the right mindset is not applied.
Systems and sub systems services exist because customer see how they create value in their lives. Upstream thinking will help you question and understand what is real value as defined by the arbiter, the customer. The only question left is as Deming would say “by what method”.
Our view would be study your organisation as a system, gaining knowledge and understanding of how, how well and why only so well in a systematic manner.
Doing so will ensure you understand what needs to be given up and why in order systemic change to be effective.
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- Sandra
- 04-02-23
Very inspiring
Taking ownership of problems and finding out what causes them is the only way forward.
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- G
- 02-04-21
a little preachy and US centric
for me not much new in this book. It feels like the book is very oriented around systems thinking, with lots of examples of why you should do it. at time it felt preachy to good causes and most examples were US focused, so it would have been nice to see more international examples. I wonder if Dan has lost some of his sparkle not working with his brother like his other books.
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