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Decisive

How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work

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Decisive

Written by: Chip Heath, Dan Heath
Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith
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Buy Now for $22.93

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About this listen

Chip and Dan Heath, the bestselling authors of Switch and Made to Stick, tackle one of the most critical topics in our work and personal lives: how to make better decisions.
 
Research in psychology has revealed that our decisions are disrupted by an array of biases and irrationalities: We’re overconfident. We seek out information that supports us and downplay information that doesn’t. We get distracted by short-term emotions. When it comes to making choices, it seems, our brains are flawed instruments. Unfortunately, merely being aware of these shortcomings doesn’t fix the problem, any more than knowing that we are nearsighted helps us to see. The real question is: How can we do better?

In Decisive, the Heaths, based on an exhaustive study of the decision-making literature, introduce a four-step process designed to counteract these biases. Written in an engaging and compulsively readable style, Decisive takes readers on an unforgettable journey, from a rock star’s ingenious decision-making trick to a CEO’s disastrous acquisition, to a single question that can often resolve thorny personal decisions.

Along the way, we learn the answers to critical questions like these: How can we stop the cycle of agonizing over our decisions? How can we make group decisions without destructive politics? And how can we ensure that we don’t overlook precious opportunities to change our course? 

Decisive is the Heath brothers’ most powerful—and important—book yet, offering fresh strategies and practical tools enabling us to make better choices. Because the right decision, at the right moment, can make all the difference.
Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Career Business Management Leadership

What the critics say

“A leader's most important job is to make good decisions, which—minus perfect knowledge of the future—is tough to do consistently . . . The Heath brothers explain how to navigate the land mines laid by our irrational brains and improve our chances of good outcomes.”Inc.
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Most Relevant
Great content based on scientific method with easily digestible examples and help putting into action. Impressed.

Valuable research and examples

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Very helpful process, steps and marks for every kind of decision. Great resource to go back to!

Tangible Steps to test for success and failure

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I chose to read this book in anticipation of the career positions I foresee for my myself in the next couple of years, where I expect I'll be relied on for decision making. (and because, well, it's by the Heath brothers) But as the concepts and stories unfold, boy was I surprised at the realisation of current situations where I can apply the ideas learned now. Mostly in helping others make decisions, but some in making own decisions. Some examples/stories reminded me of previously made decisions, reflecting on the process used and the outcome. Big e.g. Near the end of the book, I realised that I'm still in my decision-making process to move towards the career positions mentioned above, and seems to be on the right path: I had intuitively widened my options, ooched, and done (only) the last "10" of the 10/10/10 rule. Now to actually follow the rest of advices as addressed in the book. I chose Decisive for future application, soon realizing I needed it for the decision into THAT future.

Immediately realized current areas to apply ideas.

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Loved it! got a copy of real book because it is so packed full of goodness that you really need to read it AND listen to it!! Not always easy to move through, but so much packed with valuable that is well worth the effort on the slower parts. The authors did an amazing job at "translating" a lot of data into "normal, day to day"language. not an easy task for sure. This would be best with an accompaining downloadable workbook.

Vademecum for people that want next level

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The book is so awesome I felt bad when there was 2 hours left. It’s very crisp.

Great narration, spot on book!

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