Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman, Rom Brafman Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior
Book Review: why smart people make bad decisions / the case for dissenters
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an interesting, quick, thought-provoking read. The authors highlight the forces and situations that lead us to make really bad decisions -- our failure to realize that sunk costs are sunk costs, our tendency to irrationally cling to our bad decisions, once made, in hopes that things will take a 180 degree turn. The authors show how we are disproportionately influenced by anecdotal evidence rather than looking at aggregate, statistical data. One example can be more influential than a thousand data points.
Particularly interesting to me were the discussions of cultural influences on decision-making. In the US version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, for example, the audience poll yields the correct answer 90% of the time. French and Russian audiences aren't so magnaminous. Russian audiences are not likely to give the correct answer -- perhaps out of a skepticism for wealth -- and French audiences enforce a sense of meritocracy -- they will not give the correct answer to an easy/obvious question -- though they may be more willing to help out on a challenging question. French audiences won't reward poor players -- if the player is too stupid to know the anwer to an easy question, he doesn't deserve to be a millionaire.
Another interesting example of cultural influences on decision-making were illustrated by requiring participants to divide a certain amount of money fairly between themselves and another person -- if the other person accepted the division, both the giver and the receiver would keep the money. If not, both went home empty-handed. American paricipants were most inclined to split the money 50/50; the giver frequently refused to accepted a disproportionately smaller split. In other cultures, however, participants would split the booty 90/10, and the recipient gladly accepted the 10%, as it was more than he had before. What is fair and seemingly rational in one culture isn't always fair and seemingly rational in another. What exactly is a rational decision?
This book presents a compelling argument for ensuring that there's at least one devil's advocate, skeptic, naysayer, dissenter in your circle of trusted advisors and it underscores the importance of having dissenters in the workplace. Really bad things can result when decisions are not vetted by dissenters, when organizations are staffed exclusively by yes-men, when we are so intent on staying the course that we don't see the collision directly in front of us.
Book Review: Like A Lazy Ocean Hugs the Shore....
Summary: 4 Stars
We all make mistakes. Some minor, others, life-changing. Obtaining all the knowledge we can about this field will enhance our time on earth. Based on great stories and solid research, this fun book takes a meandering stroll down the beaches of behavioral and social science. Along the way, we find pearls of wisdom.
In light of the lessons I learned in this book, I will now have to go back and re-read Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinkingby Malcolm Gladwell whose lessons I have been applying at work and home. This book - in a way - is the opposite of Blink whereby our intuition does not rush in to save the day.
I applaud the lack of digressions and tangents. Too often, this type of book leaves the subject matter to discuss an area the reader has not interest in. My only negative critique is that this is really more of a subject for a magazine or journal article rather than a full-blown book length treatment. Still, I really enjoyed the book and hope you find this review helpful.
Michael L. Gooch, SPHR - Author of Wingtips with Spurs
Book Review: Sway Is Okay
Summary: 3 Stars
SWAY has been described as a fun, quick read; a book based on the authors' argument that irrational behavior is fueled by loss aversion, diagnosis bias, and the "chameleon effect." Although somewhat entertaining, I wondered about other factors that also influence irrational behavior.
As an example, when the so-called "most experienced and accomplished pilot in the world" irrationally lifts off without takeoff clearance, Neil Weinstein's research regarding "optimistic bias" came to mind (the tendency to view oneself as less likely that others to experience negative life events).
Examples of optimistic bias include professional financial analysts consistently overestimating corporate earnings; smokers believing they are at less risk of developing smoking-related diseases than others who smoke, and let's not forget the research about college students rating themselves as much less likely than their peers to experience negative life events such as developing a drinking problem, having a heart attack, being fired from a job, or divorcing a few years after getting married. Based on the age-old concept of optimistic bias, I'm wondering if the celebrated pilot wasn't also in "full-on optimistic bias mode" ("'I' can make this happen!!"), when he made the decision to go forward?
In terms of "first-date interviewing," readers may rather prefer Marcus Buckingham's approach to interviewing explained in his book entitled "The One Thing You Need to Know." Buckingham shares practical and user-friendly strategies for fleshing out the so-called strengths and weaknesses offered up by potential employees.
The scant material in Sway might have been better condensed into a juicy article, but as a book, I wanted it to be better organized and better validated. People still talk about The Tipping Point and Blink by Gladwell, but will Sway stay the test of time? May I say: no sway?
Book Review: Fooled by Stubbornness
Summary: 5 Stars
If you like to say "Wow", "Cool", "Check that out", "Way cool", "Silly humans" when you read, then get Sway.
The story the Brafman Brothers tell shall bring these words from you.
Well-written, the Brafmans thoughts flow from one chapter into the next. The page count and tight writing reveals high intellects in Ori and Rom.
You can read through this book in one sitting.
Book Review: Engaging Look At What SWAYS Our Thinking
Summary: 5 Stars
I truly enjoyed Ori Brafman's last book The Starfish and the Spider so I was excited to read his latest work. This book didn't disappoint.
Given what I do for a living I am always fascinated with what makes people tick. SWAY is an engaging book that helps the reader understand the incredibly powerful undercurrent that influences our thinking and ultimately how we may make (good and bad) decisions.
The book is packed full of excellent stories which compliment and enhance the fundamental ideas presented in each chapter. I found the entire book to be thought provoking and extremely interesting.
A great read that I would recommend to everyone.