About the book

I read this book in paper format. There is plethora of books about change. Nevertheless this book about changes is well spent time.

Let’s start with the definition. A tipping point is one dramatic moment when a change occurs. Or as Gladwell defines “the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point”. For example Sharp introducing low-priced fax in 1984 or mobile phones hitting a tipping point 1998. Is the low-price 3D printers a tipping point?

How was the actual reading of the book?

I would recommend this book for people in business or interested about business. Somehow the business could utilize these findings more rapidly than other industries. Obviously other applications can be developed based on the book too.

Tipping point is about change and how the changes occur. It helps the reader to identify and understand changes more coherently. What could a trend and what will be a fad.

Underlying pattern that connects all changes is:

• Contagious behavior
• Little things have huge impact
• Those are rapid

What are the key learnings of the book? 

Malcom Gladwell has three major findings into which the concept of Tipping point is tied to.

The Law of the few

• Exceptional people noticing a trend and spreading it onwards.
• These people identify the trends or changes and spread it via word-of-mouth.
• Who would spread the change better than people whom we trust in their opinion?

The Stickiness Factor

• The Stickiness Factor is a critical component.
• The change must be recognizable and it must differentiate from other incidents.
• How do you remember it if it does not stick with you?

The Power of Context

• Sensitivity of people makes changes.
• These are true in religious movements or in movies.
• Is the movie good if the theater is half-empty?

How should we change according to the book?

Maybe this book is not about changing our behavior unless we see it as a way to perceive changes.

Daniel Kahneman writes in his book “Thinking, Fast and Slow” about organizations making less errors. This one of the lessons for organizations also in Gladwell’s book.

Greatest benefit of reading this book comes from the notions that we can obtain an ability to recognize changes.

What should I personally do? 

Start evaluating people and incidents. Weak signs can be found from those sources. Maybe a trend is building up momentum towards a tipping point.

Summary

Malcolm Gladwell has designed his book in order to satisfy the needs of the reader Change is happening all the time and it is occurring around you. With help of Gladwell’s writings these changes can be turned into action.

He even uses the learnings of the book by himself. For example the name of the book. It is well formulated. It helps us to remember the book. And more importantly the name helps us to spread Gladwell’s learnings.

The book in six words – Don’t be a bystander, be the change agent.