Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Brothers Chip and Dan share their experiences and research insights to communicate ideas. Chip is professor of Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Dan is a consultant to Duke University’s Corporate Education program.
Hard to believe that I read Made to Stick, their first book over 15 years ago. And it has been 12 years since reading Switch, their excellent follow up book. I am considering re-reading both since they are still powerful reminders of what we can be, even today.
Decisive was wonderful reading. Chip and Dan are delivering deep insights into bias. More importantly, they tackle the long held belief that Ben Franklin’s “weigh up the pros and cons and go with the winner” actually fails our decision making repeatedly.
Chip and Dan share their approach, known as the “Four Villains of Decision Making” that is much more effective. This is accomplished by framing choices in very narrow terms.
Many simply seek information or individuals who support an existing bias. This results in short term emotions, which leads to overconfidence. This can be easily identified with confirmation bias or perhaps implicit bias.
Chip and Dan move this forward by decision making methods broken down into four Decisive sections: Widen Your Options. Reality-Test Assumptions, Attain Distance before deciding, and Prepare to be Wrong. Many will find greater insights within their four methods.
