Showing titles in Decision-Making & Problem Solving

When it comes to making big decisions, we might consult friends and family, read advice online or turn to self-help books for guidance. In the end, though, we usually just do what feels right. But what if our gut is wrong? As economist and former Google data scientist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz argues, our gut is actually not that reliable—and data can prove this. In Don’t Trust Your Gut, he unearths the startling conclusions that the right data can teach us about who we are and what will make our lives better.

The title comes from the story of the Phoenix—a Greek legend of a bird/dragon that arises from the ashes of its predecessor—being born again. It relates to the situations people may be in now—low achievement, lack of success, mediocrity.

Why does your weather app say “there’s a 10 percent chance of rain” instead of “it will be sunny”? In large part, this is due to the insight of award-winning physicist Tim Palmer, who pioneered the introduction of uncertainty into weather and climate prediction. Now, he wants to apply it to how we study everything else.

The things we want most - peace of mind, fulfilling relationships, to do well at work - are surprisingly straightforward to realize. But too often our best efforts to attain them are built on destructive habits that sabotage us. In Four Seconds, Peter Bregman shows us how to replace negative patterns with energy boosting and productive behaviors. To thrive in our fast-paced world all it takes is to pause for as few as four seconds.

In the early 1980s, Harley-Davidson was on the verge of bankruptcy. In the general public's opinion, quality was substandard - of both motorcycles and riders. Harleys leaked oil and were often broken down. Riders were roughnecks, out to raise hell. The Harley-Davidson brand was tarnished. What s more, the charges were true.By the mid-1980s, Harley couldn't produce enough bikes to keep the public happy. Dealers were selling bikes off the showroom floor, struggling to assuage customers frustration.

Managing the Unexpected, third edition, is a thoroughly revised text that offers an updated look at the groundbreaking ideas explored in the first and second editions. Revised to reflect events emblematic of the unique challenges that organizations have faced in recent years, including bank failures, intelligence failures, quality failures, and other organizational misfortunes, often sparked by organizational actions, this critical book focuses on why some organizations are better able to sustain high performance in the face of unanticipated change.

This book is for every manager, leader, and entrepreneur who needs to rally a team, an organization, or themselves to think big and keep the flame of invention burning brightly while under suffocating pressure—which happens to be when you need creative problem-solving the most.

New York Times best-selling author and iconic Hollywood producer Brian Grazer reveals a new secret to forge a happier and more successful life. Through his own personal stories, discover how eye contact - a power available to nearly everyone - can change your life, too. Whether you’re looking to develop a relationship, build your confidence, or win a negotiation, the answer is in the eyes. Grazer delves into the power of eye contact as he shares personal, life-changing stories and insightful advice that will help you immediately discover the secret to a more meaningful life.

ABC Hurricane Shutters, a Florida-based company, was on the verge of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, having recorded losses in each of the preceding three years. In From Red to Black: A Business Turnaround, Robert S. Curry shares his thought process, action steps, and profit improvement recommendations throughout his turnaround engagement at the shutter company. After Bob’s first meeting with the owner, he developed a detailed plan for recovery and was engaged the next day. Within four months, the company had made a complete turnaround with nearly every “must-do” completed.

It's your responsibility as a manager to ensure that your work—and the work of your team—aligns with the overarching objectives of your organization. But when you're faced with competing projects and limited time, it's difficult to keep strategy front of mind. How do you keep your eye on the long term amid a sea of short-term demands? The HBR Guide to Thinking Strategically provides practical advice and tips to help you see the big-picture perspective in every aspect of your daily work, from making decisions to setting team priorities to attacking your own to-do list.

Slowing down is not a luxury, it is a necessity. A frenetic brain simply doesn't perform at optimal levels. By maintaining a snail's pace, you actually achieve better results - at rocket speed - because you're firing on all cylinders. You'll think of new things, approach old problems from new perspectives, and breathe a breath of fresh air into everything you do. This book shows you how to achieve this state of steady, sustainable fire and how to get further by crawling than you ever did while attempting to fly.

Find the best solutions to your problems. Become a better decision maker. We are surrounded by systems. Businesses, schools, families, the economy, our country are all systems. The more you understand how they work, what problems do they face and how can you improve your position in them, the happier, and more stress-free your life will be. Find strategic solutions considering every aspect of your problem. Apply systems thinking to solve work, business, and relationship problems. Learn to see through the hidden pathways of contemporary politics, economics, and education changes.

For decades, alarms have sounded about declining engagement. Yet companies continue to struggle with toxic cultures, and the low productivity and unhappiness that go with them. Why is "culture" so difficult to improve? What makes so many good employees check out? Neuroscientist Paul Zak shows that innate brain functions hold the answers. It all boils down to trust. When someone shows you trust, a feel-good jolt of oxytocin surges through your brain and triggers you to reciprocate.

Brick by Brick takes you inside the LEGO you've never seen. By following the teams that are inventing some of the world's best-loved toys, it spotlights the company's disciplined approach to harnessing creativity and recounts one of the most remarkable business transformations in recent memory.

Tommy Mello, the Home Service Millionaire, shares what inspired him and how you can learn from his experiences. He quotes from his favorite successful business gurus and explains what it takes to get to the top. He teaches you his method for training and inspiring employees, teaching accountability, and improving performance for any size business. A lively discussion of what it takes to succeed.

A practical four-step methodology for any leader or manager facing a tough choice, and for creating integrative solutions to big, complex, and pressing problems. Stimulating and practical, Creating Great Choices blends storytelling, theory, and hands-on advice to help any leader or manager facing a tough choice.

Difficult people are the worst part of a manager's job. Whether it comes from direct reports or people above, outbursts, irrational demands, griping, and other disruptions need to be dealt with - and it's your responsibility to do it. Leading the Unleadable turns this dreaded chore into a straight forward process that gently, yet effectively, improves behaviors.

Whether we realize it or not, we all take risks large and small every day. Even the most cautious among us cannot opt out - the question is always which risks to take, not whether to take them at all. What most of us don't know is how to measure those risks and maximize the chances of getting what we want out of life. In An Economist Walks into a Brothel, Schrager equips listeners with five principles for dealing with risk, principles used by some of the world's most interesting risk takers.

Every day, we make decisions on topics ranging from personal investments to schools for our children to the meals we eat to the causes we champion. Unfortunately, we often choose poorly. The reason, the authors explain, is that, being human, we are all susceptible to various biases that can lead us to blunder. Our mistakes can make us poor and unhealthy. We often make bad decisions about education, personal finance, health care, family, and the environment.

Tackle your thorniest problems using the wise fool's savvy strategies! The wise fool is the archetypal contrarian known for his creativity, irreverence, and humor. He looks at life in unorthodox ways and pushes back against the status quo. Throughout history, powerful decision-makers (Egyptian pharaohs, Chinese emperors, Persian sultans, and European kings) consulted wise fools to question the assumptions that kept them mired in stale and obsolete solutions.