Sidetracked: Why Our Decisions Get Derailed, and How We Can Stick to the Plan

Description

You may not realize it but simple, irrelevant factors can have profound consequences on your decisions and behavior, often diverting you from your original plans and desires. Sidetracked will help you identify and avoid these influences so the decisions you make do stick-and you finally reach your intended goals. Psychologist and Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino has long studied the factors at play when judgment and decision making collide with the results of our choices in real life. In this book she explores inconsistent decisions played out in a wide range of circumstances-from our roles as consumers and employees (what we buy, how we manage others) to the choices that we make more broadly as human beings (who we date, how we deal with friendships).

Francesca Gino is Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Her research focuses on judgment and decision making, ethics, productivity, and creativity. Her studies have been featured on CNN and NPR, as well as in leading print publications, including the Economist, the Financial Times, the New York Times, Newsweek, Scientific American, and Psychology Today. In 2009 the New York Times featured Gino's research in the 9th Annual Year in Ideas. In 2015 she was chosen by Poets & Quants as one of the "Best 40 Under 40 Professors," a ranking of the world's top business school professors under the age of forty.

"Similar to Chip and Dan Heath's Made To Stick and Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point, this book will appeal to those looking to build their business platform." -- Library Journal "Thoroughly researched and informative, the book's clarity and simplicity of structure are quite refreshing. Gino possesses a wealth of well-constructed research and experience -- both inside university labs and in the business world. This book is filled with carefully explained studies that have taken many years to collect and establish, as well as many insights from the business consulting world." -- Business World magazine "For the general reader desiring to learn more about research studies on some human decision biases and their effects, this book can provide a valuable perspective." -- Choice Magazine "... a powerful survey outlining the entire decision-making process, how it gets derailed, and how to get it back on track." -- Midwest Book Review "Worth reading in every respect [Sidetracked] distinguishes itself from other practical books in its substance and the relevance of its examples." -- Personalwirtschaft (Germany) "What separates Sidetracked...from some other books on decision making is an in-depth exploration of the "human" obstacles as opposed to the "organizational" obstacles that can inhibit sound decision-making processes." -- Business Standard "If you have always yearned to feel more secure in your decision-making, or at the very least, understand better why even your best-laid plans often go awry, Sidetracked is a straight-forward examination of the forces that affect our decisions which can help raise your awareness and keep you from veering off course." -- 800 CEO READ "... an excellent book." -- Biz India (bizindia.net) ADVANCE PRAISE for Sidetracked: Dan Ariely, Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics, Duke University; author of the New York Times bestsellers Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality, and The Honest Truth about Dishonesty-- We are often unaware of the many forces that affect our decisions--sometimes with devastating consequences. In Sidetracked, Francesca Gino identifies and illuminates many of these forces to help us all make decisions that we, our mothers, and our kids will be happier with. Chip Heath, Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford Graduate School of Business; co-author, Made to Stick and Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard-- Francesca Gino is one of the smartest and most insightful decision researchers in the field. Her clever research informs every page of this book and it will change the way you think about decision making. Robert I. Sutton, Professor of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford Engineering School; author, Good Boss, Bad Boss and The No Asshole Rule-- Sidetracked is a scary, remarkably useful, and delightful romp. Scary because it shows how our imperfect brains can mess-up our decisions and our lives. Remarkably useful because it shows us how to thrive and triumph despite these imperfections. Delightful because Francesca Gino's wisdom, quirky charm, and world-class smarts enrich every page. John Engates, Chief Technology Officer, Rackspace-- Sidetracked is an indispensable guide for those interested in gaining insight into how we make decisions and the invisible forces that affect the process. Could our brains really be this susceptible to outside influence? The book reveals the truth--through example after example of carefully structured research--of just how easily influenced we are and concrete strategies for how to stay on track. Daniel H. Pink, author, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us and A Whole New Mind-- Why do so many of our decisions go awry? Francesca Gino says the answer might be staring at us in the mirror. In Sidetracked, she reveals the many forces that distract our attention, distort our reasoning, and ultimately lead us astray. Reading this rich mix of experimental evidence and lively stories will help you rethink--and improve--how you make decisions in your life. Susan Cain, author, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking-- This engaging, beautifully written, and thought-provoking book is a must read for anyone who wants a deep understanding of how decisions get so easily derailed, and advice on how to stick to well-thought out plans. A truly entertaining journey that will keep you turning pages through the very end.