Truth About Making Smart Decisions, The
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-0-13-235463-9 (ISBN)
Description
This book brings together 50 powerful "truths" about making better decisions: real solutions for the tough challenges faced by every decision-maker, in business and in life. You'll discover how to systematically prepare to make better decisions... how to get the right information, without getting buried in useless data... how to minimize your risks, and then act decisively... how to handle your emotions... make better group decisions... survive mistakes... and a whole lot more. This isn't "someone's opinion": it's a definitive, evidence-based guide to effective decision-making -- a set of bedrock principles you can rely on no matter what kind of decisions you make!
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Upper Saddle River
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 213 mm
Width: 137 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
277 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-13-235463-9 (9780132354639)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Robert E. Gunther is coauthor or collaborator on more than 20 books. Among many projects, he served as collaborating writer on Wharton on Making Decisions and coauthored The Wealthy 100, a ranking of the wealthiest Americans since the start of the country. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. He has appeared on CNBC's Power Lunch, NPR's Morning Edition, and numerous local and national radio and television programs. His projects also have been featured in The New York Times, Time, USA Today, and Fortune. His columns or articles have been published in Harvard Business Review, American Heritage, Investor's Business Daily, and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
As founder of Gunther Communications, he has collaborated with leading business professors on books and articles, and engaged in communications work for Fortune 500 companies, universities, and major non-profits. After graduating from Princeton University, he worked as a reporter and editor for The Press of Atlantic City. He later joined the Wharton School where he served as director of development communications and director of publications in executive education. He and his wife have three children and live outside Philadelphia.
As founder of Gunther Communications, he has collaborated with leading business professors on books and articles, and engaged in communications work for Fortune 500 companies, universities, and major non-profits. After graduating from Princeton University, he worked as a reporter and editor for The Press of Atlantic City. He later joined the Wharton School where he served as director of development communications and director of publications in executive education. He and his wife have three children and live outside Philadelphia.
Content
Preface ix
Introduction x
Part I The Truth About Preparing for Decisions
Truth 1 Before a major decision, get some Z's 1
Truth 2 Act from a state of clarity 3
Truth 3 If you can't get distance, get perspective 7
Truth 4 Keep it real 11
Truth5 Use a systematic process 15
Truth 6 Know your decision-making style 19
Part II The Truth About Why Bad Decisions Are Good
Truth 7 To make better decisions, make more mistakes 23
Truth 8 Be prepared to profit from your mistakes 27
Truth 9 Learn from your close calls 29
Truth 10 Learn from the decisions of others 33
Truth 11 Don't judge your decisions based on their outcome 35
Truth 12 Leave yourself room to get back from the pole 39
Part III The Truth About the Limits of Your Mind
Truth 13 Understand common "decision traps" 43
Truth 14 Giving up something? Get over it! 47
Truth 15 It's possible to miss an entire gorilla 51
Truth 16 You may see only what you're looking for 53
Truth 17 You're not as clever as you think you are 57
Truth 18 Your view of the world depends on what planet you're from 61
Truth 19 Beware of seeing patterns that aren't there 65
Truth 20 Different is not always better 69
Part IV The Truth About Complex Decisions
Truth 21 Boil knowledge down to its essence-and then act on it 71
Truth 22 Decisions are not snapshots but movies 75
Truth 23 No decision is an island 79
Truth 24 Build the city around your decision 83
Part V The Truth About Data
Truth 25 Listen for the dog that doesn't bark 85
Truth 26 Sorry, Joe Friday. The facts are never "just the facts." 89
Truth 27 Recognize the power of intuition 91
Part VI The Truth About Acting Decisively
Truth 28 The wrong decision is better than none at all 95
Truth 29 Get 80 percent (or less) of what you need, and then act on it 99
Truth 30 Every decision carries risk. Get used to it. 103
Truth 31 Not making a decision is a decision 107
Part VII The Truth About Decisions in Groups
Truth 32 Two heads can be worse than one 111
Truth 33 Use constructive conflict 115
Truth 34 Surround yourself with people smarter than yourself 119
Truth 35 Make decision roles clear 123
Truth 36 Break free from the prisoner's dilemma 127
Part VIII The Truth About Emotions
Truth 37 A little adrenaline can be a good thing 131
Truth 38 Understand the impact of emotions 135
Truth 39 Beware of the attractive new shortcut 139
Part IX The Truth About Ethical Decision Making
Truth 40 Don't do anything you wouldn't want seen on YouTube 143
Truth 41 There are no quiet corners safe from scrutiny 145
Truth 42 To know where you're going, know where you stand 149
Truth 43 Don't let power or ego sway you from your course 153
Part X The Truth About Big Decisions
Truth 44 Lower the costs of failure 157
Truth 45 Break down big decisions into smaller ones 161
Truth 46 Don't forget the screwdrivers 165
Part XI The Truth About Moving On
Truth 47 Keep your eye on the long term 169
Truth 48 Belief in your decision can make it come true 173
Truth 49 Keep a sense of humor 177
Truth 50 Don't look back 181
Additional Resources 183
References 184
About the Author 188
Introduction x
Part I The Truth About Preparing for Decisions
Truth 1 Before a major decision, get some Z's 1
Truth 2 Act from a state of clarity 3
Truth 3 If you can't get distance, get perspective 7
Truth 4 Keep it real 11
Truth5 Use a systematic process 15
Truth 6 Know your decision-making style 19
Part II The Truth About Why Bad Decisions Are Good
Truth 7 To make better decisions, make more mistakes 23
Truth 8 Be prepared to profit from your mistakes 27
Truth 9 Learn from your close calls 29
Truth 10 Learn from the decisions of others 33
Truth 11 Don't judge your decisions based on their outcome 35
Truth 12 Leave yourself room to get back from the pole 39
Part III The Truth About the Limits of Your Mind
Truth 13 Understand common "decision traps" 43
Truth 14 Giving up something? Get over it! 47
Truth 15 It's possible to miss an entire gorilla 51
Truth 16 You may see only what you're looking for 53
Truth 17 You're not as clever as you think you are 57
Truth 18 Your view of the world depends on what planet you're from 61
Truth 19 Beware of seeing patterns that aren't there 65
Truth 20 Different is not always better 69
Part IV The Truth About Complex Decisions
Truth 21 Boil knowledge down to its essence-and then act on it 71
Truth 22 Decisions are not snapshots but movies 75
Truth 23 No decision is an island 79
Truth 24 Build the city around your decision 83
Part V The Truth About Data
Truth 25 Listen for the dog that doesn't bark 85
Truth 26 Sorry, Joe Friday. The facts are never "just the facts." 89
Truth 27 Recognize the power of intuition 91
Part VI The Truth About Acting Decisively
Truth 28 The wrong decision is better than none at all 95
Truth 29 Get 80 percent (or less) of what you need, and then act on it 99
Truth 30 Every decision carries risk. Get used to it. 103
Truth 31 Not making a decision is a decision 107
Part VII The Truth About Decisions in Groups
Truth 32 Two heads can be worse than one 111
Truth 33 Use constructive conflict 115
Truth 34 Surround yourself with people smarter than yourself 119
Truth 35 Make decision roles clear 123
Truth 36 Break free from the prisoner's dilemma 127
Part VIII The Truth About Emotions
Truth 37 A little adrenaline can be a good thing 131
Truth 38 Understand the impact of emotions 135
Truth 39 Beware of the attractive new shortcut 139
Part IX The Truth About Ethical Decision Making
Truth 40 Don't do anything you wouldn't want seen on YouTube 143
Truth 41 There are no quiet corners safe from scrutiny 145
Truth 42 To know where you're going, know where you stand 149
Truth 43 Don't let power or ego sway you from your course 153
Part X The Truth About Big Decisions
Truth 44 Lower the costs of failure 157
Truth 45 Break down big decisions into smaller ones 161
Truth 46 Don't forget the screwdrivers 165
Part XI The Truth About Moving On
Truth 47 Keep your eye on the long term 169
Truth 48 Belief in your decision can make it come true 173
Truth 49 Keep a sense of humor 177
Truth 50 Don't look back 181
Additional Resources 183
References 184
About the Author 188