The power of moments

Chip Heath and Dan Heath

The Power of Moments explains why short, well-designed experiences can change how people think, feel, and act. The Heaths show that we tend to judge experiences by their peaks and endings, not by their total duration, and that leaders can engineer “defining moments” using four elements, elevation, insight, pride, and connection. In a school context this means planning peaks for staff and students, turning transitions into celebrations, flipping pits into positive recoveries, and building rituals that connect people to shared meaning. The book matters for school leadership because it moves culture work from slogans to design, it gives practical ways to make important messages memorable, it helps leaders recognise and reward progress, and it shows how purposeful surprise and shared struggle can accelerate buy-in. Readers can easily find more on the authors and case studies online.

Key insights

People remember peaks and endings more than the middle (peak-end rule, p8). Design for standout moments and strong finishes, not uniform flatness. In schools, curate term highlights and close key journeys with meaningful endings that reinforce values.
Defining moments have four ingredients, elevation, insight, pride, connection (pp12–14). Use two or more at once for impact. For example, a student exhibition raises stakes, breaks the script, and creates public pride.
Build peaks on purpose, do not leave them to chance (pp48–53, p61). Ritualise “the game” in school life, for instance showcases, debates, exhibitions, or signing days that celebrate learning, not only sport or prom.
Break the script to create positive surprise (pp77, 85–86). Small, unexpected touches make messages stick. In leadership routines, vary formats, locations, or roles so meetings feel alive, not automatic.
Create moments of insight by helping people trip over the truth (pp97–106, p104). Do not lecture the solution. Stage brief, vivid experiences where staff discover the problem themselves, then co-create the fix.
Multiply meaningful milestones to fuel progress and pride (pp159–165). Level up long journeys into short stages. Surface before-and-after evidence so improvement is seen, named, and celebrated.
Practice courage so the right action feels ready, not rare (pp183–190, p193). Rehearse tough conversations and choices using if-then plans. Courage spreads when one person acts.
Purpose beats passion for performance, and it can be shared (pp217–218, p220). Tie work to contribution, not just excitement, by asking, “What matters to you?” and showing who benefits.

Links to the 54 behaviours

C8: Create moments, design peaks with elevation, insight, pride, and connection that people remember long after the event.
C5: Celebrate successes, multiply milestones and make recognition specific and personal so effort feels seen.
S2: Tell the story, frame peaks with a clear story of self, us, and now so meaning is shared, then act.
S7: Communicate often, repeat the big messages through memorable moments, not just memos, to make them stick.
T7: Hold meetings for impact, break the script and raise stakes so meetings energise action rather than drain it.
L1: Lead by example, model responsiveness, recognition, and readiness to act with courage so others follow.
Y7: Think long, act daily, schedule regular peaks and checkpoints so culture builds through rhythm, not one-offs.

Potential actions for school leaders

Map the academic year and add three intentional peaks for students and three for staff, one per term, with a named element, elevation, insight, pride, or connection.
Redesign one routine meeting this month, change the venue, open with a short “trip over the truth” activity, and finish with public recognition of one specific win.
Create a milestone ladder for a priority goal, for example, reading, behaviour, attendance, or teaching practice, and surface visible before-and-after evidence every two weeks.
Script and practise one courageous conversation with if-then plans, then role-play it with a colleague before the real thing.
Turn a common “pit” into a service-recovery peak, for example, late detentions, timetable glitches, or cover, by responding quickly, personally, and exceeding expectations.

Why it matters

Culture is what people experience, not what we say it is. This book provides leaders with a practical design kit to transform values into moments that shape memory, motivation, and a sense of belonging. It aligns with Everyone Succeeds by making celebration, storytelling, purposeful routines, and courageous action concrete, so behaviours embed rather than fade. It encourages leaders to create shared meaning and to mark progress in ways that people feel and remember.

Favourite quote

“We feel most comfortable when things are certain, but we feel most alive when they’re not.” (p86)

Buy the book

You can buy a copy of the book from Amazon by clicking here.