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  • Upstream

  • The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen
  • Written by: Dan Heath
  • Narrated by: Dan Heath
  • Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (81 ratings)

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Upstream

Written by: Dan Heath
Narrated by: Dan Heath
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Publisher's Summary

New York Times best-selling author Dan Heath explores how to prevent problems before they happen, drawing on insights from hundreds of interviews with unconventional problem solvers.

So often in life, we get stuck in a cycle of response. We put out fires. We deal with emergencies. We stay downstream, handling one problem after another, but we never make our way upstream to fix the systems that caused the problems. Cops chase robbers, doctors treat patients with chronic illnesses, and call-center reps address customer complaints. But many crimes, chronic illnesses, and customer complaints are preventable. So why do our efforts skew so heavily toward reaction rather than prevention?

Upstream probes the psychological forces that push us downstream - including “problem blindness,” which can leave us oblivious to serious problems in our midst. And Heath introduces us to the thinkers who have overcome these obstacles and scored massive victories by switching to an upstream mindset. One online travel website prevented 20 million customer service calls every year by making some simple tweaks to its booking system. A major urban school district cut its dropout rate in half after it figured out that it could predict which students would drop out - as early as the ninth grade. A European nation almost eliminated teenage alcohol and drug abuse by deliberately changing the nation’s culture. And one EMS system accelerated the emergency-response time of its ambulances by using data to predict where 911 calls would emerge - and forward-deploying its ambulances to stand by in those areas.

Upstream delivers practical solutions for preventing problems rather than reacting to them. How many problems in our lives and in society are we tolerating simply because we’ve forgotten that we can fix them? 

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Dan Heath (P)2020 Simon & Schuster

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  • HM
  • 2022-07-26

Boring and unoriginal

The only catchy thing about this book is the title. So many better books about problem solving.

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Nott much new or revolutionary

This is mostly common sense. Too bad governments, companies, organizations etc are reactionary rather than preventive in nature but short term thinking is the way of the world which is why we are in a big mess.

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good book, lots of good stories

lots of good stories. a bit on the short side and a little less actionable, or rather prescriptive. he doesn't have the answers but begs for you to change your perspective. it's a tough thankless battle and he tells us as such but doesn't tell you how. gets you thinking. a good read.

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A must read for who wants to change the world

A real great book to help people define the real problem that needs solving, not only the consequences but the root. I've really enjoyed the step by step approach : seeing past our blindside, rounding up the problem, evaluating the costs of preventing the problem in the first place, and finally adopting an agile stance to design a solution (not the perfect one at first but a learning one with the right metrics).

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Outstanding: Game changer on big thinking

Compelling narrative of how to think about prevention. Heath has created another masterpiece with rich examples in an engaging way.

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