Confirmation bias Is probably the single biggest problem in business, because even the most sophisticated people get it wrong. People go out and they’re collecting the data, and they don’t realize they’re cooking the books. Dan Lovallo, interview with Dan Heath, quoted in Decisive, Chip and Dan Heath, page 12.
Quotes
Roberto on Fundamental Attribution Error
we don’t attribute correctly when we think about others versus ourselves. We have a bias in the way we attribute the causes of success and failure — particularly failure “When we observe … highly flawed decision making we often ask ourselves, ‘How could they have been so stupid?’ We often attribute others’ decision making failures to a lack… Continue reading Roberto on Fundamental Attribution Error
Successful Change Follows SEE FEEL CHANGE
In almost all successful change efforts the sequence of change is not “Analyze, Think, Change,” but rather, “See, Feel, Change.” “You’re presented with evidence that makes you feel something. It might be a disturbing look at the problem, or a hopeful glimpse of the solution, or a sobering reflection of your current habits– but regardless,… Continue reading Successful Change Follows SEE FEEL CHANGE
Policies can unintentionally keep people from thinking
Policies established to create order often unintentionally keep people from thinking. “Let’s face it: corporate environments and modern organizations are the perfect setup for diminishing leadership and you have a certain built-in tyranny. The org charts, the hierarchy, the titles, the approval matrixes skew power toward the top and create incentives for people to shut down… Continue reading Policies can unintentionally keep people from thinking
Software Always Becomes Iterative
Software always becomes iterative. (Agile just does it sooner.) Mark Richards & Neal Ford, Software Architecture Fundamentals , Part 1 – Introduction, 22m 56s
Promoting a Top Responsibility
One of the top five most important things senior leadership do is decide who gets promoted. There is no test, no ranking, no process that can take the place of deep knowledge of the individual and their strengths, weaknesses, and potential to determine their ability for a future role. Mark Horstman, Things I Think I… Continue reading Promoting a Top Responsibility
Pretend you’re not afraid
“As he started out into the maze, Haw looked back to where he had come from and felt its comfort. He could feel himself being drawn back into familiar territory, even though he hadn’t found cheese there in some time. Haw became more anxious and wondered if he really wanted to go out into the… Continue reading Pretend you’re not afraid
quitting often better than heroics
A lot of times it’s better to be a quitter than a hero. “For example, let’s say you think a task can be done in two hours. But four hours into it you’re still only a quarter of the way done. The natural instinct is to think, ‘but I can’t give up now! I’ve already spent… Continue reading quitting often better than heroics
innovations rarely have but one parent
Most of the innovations of the digital age were done collaboratively. Walter Isaacson, The Innovators. Chapter 1, 1m 0s
Branding is a mistrusted craft
Appreciate other disciplines as having their own craft.