Think Twice, Michael J. Mauboussin
Think Twice, Michael J. Mauboussin
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Think Twice
Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition

Author: Michael J. Mauboussin

Narrator: Walter Dixon

Unabridged: 5 hr 21 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Ascent Audio

Published: 09/27/2010


Synopsis

How to Stop Yourself Before You Make Another Costly Decision

No one intentionally makes bad decisions. Yet we make them all the time. In fact, some of the worst disasters in recent history—the collapse of major investment banks, the global financial meltdown—were the result of seemingly reasonable decisions made by a lot of smart people. How does this happen?

Michael J. Mauboussin argues that the correct process for deciding well—especially when the stakes are high—conflicts with how our minds naturally work. When faced with complex situations, our brains revert to simplified patterns that obscure better approaches to the problem. Even when we think we’re applying logic and reason, we’re subconsciously succumbing to social or situational influences. Fortunately, we can override our mind’s default systems—that is, we can counter our intuition—by learning to “think twice.”

In this compelling audio book, Mauboussin outlines a disciplined approach to decision making that will significantly reduce costly mistakes. It involves preparing to encounter common mental traps, recognizing these mistakes in context, and applying the right mental tools to shape better decisions. With practice, you’ll begin to catch poor decision making—both yours and others’—as it unfolds in front of you.

Through vivid stories from business, sports, science, and everyday life, Mauboussin categorizes common mental mistakes and offers actionable advice for avoiding them, including:

• The Inside/Outside View: Take the experiences of others into account
• Tunnel Vision: Force yourself to consider alternatives that make you uncomfortable
• The Whole Is Smarter Than Its Parts: Don’t oversimplify complex problems
• Situational Power: Be highly aware of the influence others have on you
• The Expert Squeeze: Know when to trust so-called experts, and when not to
Backed by powerful research and shrewd analysis, this audio book gives you a mental toolkit for spotting dangerous decision traps—and making smarter choices in your professional and personal life.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Nicholas on November 09, 2014

There is a secret author's fraternity with the rule of siting each of the following at least once in each work: Taleb, Tetlock, Kahneman (and Tversky). Kahneman is their leader, his work has the most inward citations. Second in line is Taleb, followed by Tetlock, and then Mauboussin. The newest memb......more

Goodreads review by Marcelo on May 31, 2016

To be fair, I think this book must have 2 different reviews: one for those who have already read the author's "More Than You Know" (MTYK), and those who haven't. For those who have read MTYK, this book is less useful and pretty repetitive. Most of the points in "Think Twice" (TT) have already been co......more

Goodreads review by Vince on March 08, 2012

Maubossin's 2009 work on how to avoid common mental pitfalls probably filled a gap when it was written, but there are better texts available now to help you understand systematic thinking and judgement errors. Think Twice seems to exist largely to temper the excessess the author perceives in Gladwell......more

Goodreads review by Phillip on June 06, 2020

Really makes you dwell on decision making. Great data to support points.......more

Goodreads review by Tom on August 01, 2010

An excellent overview of Mauboussin's writings on behavior, decision-making, human biases and how to compensate for them. It's what I would call an overview of major themes, written almost as though intended for a five-day workshop on the topic. Devoted readers of Mauboussin, Lehrer, Gladwell, Wilso......more