Decisive

How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work

By: Chip Heath, Dan Heath

Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith

Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Chip and Dan Heath, the best-selling 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 listenable 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 such as 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.

©2013 Chip Heath and Dan Heath (P)2013 Random House Audio

Should Have Been a Pamphlet

Entirely too long! Redundant. Lacking oommph given length. There were good points but followed the formula of far too many mediocre business book: state a hypothesis, state a bunch of supportive anecdotes (many apparently borrowed from other formulaic mediocre business books). Grab the "WRAP" PDF off of their website and give yourself back 8 hrs. of your life.

Great Strategies to make and Guide Decisions!

This book is full of strategies and tools to help you make, and to lead others to make better decisions. The WRAP process is simple and can be applied to any complex decision from your personal or professional life. As usual, the Heath Brothers provide relatable, evidence based stories, from Zappos to teen dating to patient care, to help bring their insights to life. Kaleo Griffith delivers the work well and is clearly engaged with the topics.

My favorite tools from the book were "10/10/10", the "best friend" question, the "successors" question and the "book ending" ideas. I actually found so many applicable ideas that I bought the physical book, so I can reference it later.

Take your decision making skills advanced levels.

The WRAP method gives one well thought out and tested mdthods to improve decision making skills. Stories with examples of how thase methods have been used by others keeps the listener's interest and attention.

Great book, highly recommended

This was a great book. I highly recommend it. It offers sound advice that I have already used with success in my profession.

Great insight!

Chip and Dan are extremely skilled at breaking a process, in this case, making the right decisions, down into manageable, digestible chunks that are easy to comprehend, understand and implement. Well worth your time and effort!

I’m glad I decided to listen to this!

This was a clear and comprehensive outline of decision making. Every chapter provided information that I could immediately put to use. The Q&A roadblock format in the last chapter was a particularly effective summary. Thank you!

One of the top audio's I have heard this year!

One of the top audio's I have heard this year. So many great actionable advice on decision making provided in an engaging format. While it is hard to remember all of them you don't have to. They have the main points summarized on-line for those who purchase their audio. While I have heard bits and pieces of many of these ideas in other audio books this one brought the best ones together and was able to expand on them. If you enjoyed their previous work (Made to Stick or Switch) then you will not be disappointed by Decisive. Unlike many other authors each book is very different and they do not repeat themselves.

Great Ideas

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Once upon a time our OM (Owner & Manager) team occasionally struggled with decisions. OM meetings would rely on some information, recent emotions, incomplete research and un-brainstormed ideas. While many great things were accomplished due to the talent of the team, there were also some things that didn't work out as well.

One day the team decided to read DECISIVE by Dan & Chip Heath.

Because of that they learned the 4 steps of a better decision making process that quickly became a part of their language.

Because of that they were able to better coach their teams on how to make better decisions in their daily activities which increased their efficiency and success.

Until finally the whole organization was able to consistently make better complex decisions to achieve greatnesses and increased profitability.

extremely good advice to live and learn by.

I really enjoyed it. the WRAP decision process is easy to learn, easy to apply, but extremely versatile.

Interesting and Informative

Would you consider the audio edition of Decisive to be better than the print version?

Yes, if only because I can imagine the information provided in Decisive may have been a little dry for text.

Who was your favorite character and why?

n/a

Which character – as performed by Kaleo Griffith – was your favorite?

n/a

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

this is an odd question for a non fiction informative book.

Any additional comments?

It's a good book on the various methods people go through when making important decisions, and minor tweaks that can be made to that process to help yourself make more informed decisions.