HBR's 10 Must Reads on Making Smart Decisions

by Harvard Business Publishing, John S. Hammond (Contributor), Ram Charan (Contributor)

Learn why bad decisions happen to good managers―and how to make better ones. If you read nothing else on decision making, read these 10 articles. We’ve combed through hundreds of articles in the Harvard Business Review archive and selected the most important ones to help you and your organization make better choices and avoid common traps. Leading experts such as Ram Charan, Michael Mankins, and Thomas Davenport provide the insights and advice you need to:

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Leadership, Management, Self Help, Psychology, Audiobook

183 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Harvard Business Publishing (HBP) is a publisher founded in 1994 as a not-for-profit, independent corporation and an affiliate of Harvard Business School (distinct from Harvard University Press), with a focus on improving business management practices. The company offers articles, books, case studies, simulations, videos, learning programs, and digital tools to organizations and subscribers.
HBP consists of three market units: Education, Corporate Learning, and Harvard Business Review Group. Their offering consists of print and digital media (Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review Press books, Harvard Business School cases), events, digital learning (Harvard ManageMentor, HMM Spark), blended learning, and campus experiences.

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of on cognitive biases. A lot on how to improve organizational structure for making better decision. But almost nothing on how to do better decisions as a person.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have listened to Audiobook and I have forgotten almost all information in a couple of days, but one thought was memorable enough. Re-evaluate departmental goals yourself. Everyone tries to be on a safe side and because of that, the costs can get over the roof.
Another lesson, is that we are not all that rational, and there are cognitive biases to be aware of.
I should have taken notes to retain more good tips.

[Nishant B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first two chapters are a good summary of biases and cautions you need to take to make better decisions. The other chapters are more focused towards organizational decision making and might be helpful only for entrepreneurs/CEOs, but quite valuable! Gave some good pointers to the problems I have been personally working with.

[Fadl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enlightening read about decision making with a plethora of examples and accurate pinpoints to the hidden traps and biases in decision making. Yet, many of the examples refer to multinational large companies which makes some sections seems irrelevant to small companies.

[Carlos Niezen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting and insightful articles on decisions

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a jumble, but if you mentally rearrange it, it could be a solid insight into some elements of decision-making.

[Colin Callahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use insights I gained from this book on a day-to-day basis while leading my company.

[Venkat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty decent collection

I found some of the topics like cognitive biases relevant to the book title, some are a little away. Good for one reading.

[Alex Sidorenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful

Great reminder how decision making can be improved and better integrated with risk management. Found some excellent ideas in this collection of articles

[Fatimah · Rating 4 out of 5]

انتهيت من الكتاب وسيكون له عودة بالتأكيد
الكتاب عملي
جميل جدا للمديرين ولمتخذي وصانعي القرار
ممل في بعض صفحاته
ولكن لأن الكتاب عملي فيجب العودة له مرة أخرى

[Ness]

The print book was originally published in 2013 as a collection of previously published articles. The audiobook was released in 2022, and I listened to it in 2024. It comes off as dated. Sure, I wouldn't say that the findings and advice has necessarily changed, but praising Enron's smart decision making just didn't age at all (I can't believe that make it into the original book, perhaps I misheard and they were discussing a similarly named company?...), and Boeings decision making in light of the more recent 737 MAX mess and the Starliner issues stranding astronauts in space... I don't know, I just don't like how they've issued the audiobook a decade after the print, and didn't modernize it, like why bother? Good information, I suppose, but the dated references really distracted from the core messages.

Going forward, I'll pass on these HBR audiobooks unless I can confirm that the material is current.

Borrowed audiobook from library via Libby App.

[Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good refresher on how to individually and as an organization make good decisions. I found these models particularly new for me:
RAPID (Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input and Decide) separation of roles to accelerate decision making
Avoid catastrophes (Ex Challenger) by building processes that protect against normalization and outcome bias
Structure issue-focused cross-functional planning rather than unit and calendar timed traditional strategic planning
Build processes to protect against biases (advocacy vs. inquiry, range of options, feedback and follow through, push against stereotypical environments to champion diversity, institutionalize small group decisions with analytics and automation, strong governance to protect against leader emotional tagging)

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 3 out of 5]

These HBR books are like a double shot of coffee in the morning. The essays are short and grab the reader by the throat. There is no elegant research literature presented. Instead, here is an idea that I am going to propel towards you at 120 kilometres an hour.

The speed and the intensity renders the ideas important and deeply relevant. But when the coffee wears off, we see pretty straight forward ideas expressed in a truncated snack pack.

These chapter are interesting, but are not revelatory

[Firat Fidan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Özellikle iş hayatınızda uygulayabileceğiniz, karar alma mekanizmasına yardımcı olabilecek 10 makalenin farklı açıdan konuya yaklaşımını yansıtmış, yine güzel bir HBR serisi. Bu tür makaleleri bir kahve eşliğinde hızlıca okuyabiliyorsunuz. Üst düzey yöneticilerin ve karar vericilerin okuması için yazılmış olan bu makalelerde önyargılarımızın karar alırken bizi nasıl etkilediğini anlatan makale bence en iyisiydi. HBR serileri benim için bir klasik, kendimi güncellemek adına yılda en az seriden 2-3 kitap bitiriyorum, tavsiye ederim 👍🏾

[Eugene Bosiakov · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first part is excellent. Articles contain particular and precise pieces of advice. Good examples, strong and clean thoughts. Some statements triggered me in the right way.

The last articles consist of shady and unclear wording. I didn't get any through from them, even the main one.

Anyway, the book is worth reading for everyone, regardless of your position.

[Erkan Erol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karar almak ile alakalı 10 farklı makaleyi içeren bir kitap.

Kitabın ilk makalesinde karar alma süreçlerindeki gizli tuzaklar ele alınmış. Batık maliyet yanılgısı, doğrulama yanılgısı, çıpalama yanılgısı vs. Bu makaleyi çok sevdim.

Bir kaç makale organizasyonların karar alma süreçleriyle ilgiliydi. Onları da beğendim. CEO falan olursam işe yarar :D

Ayrıca gizli önyargılar (cinsiyetçilik, ırkçılık vb) ve bunların karar alma süreçlerindeki etkisini irdeleyen makale de güzeldi.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with any book of this type, there are hits and misses. Kahneman's article is, of course, super helpful. Hammond's is as well. That being said, there are a few that are dated (celebrating aspects of Enron) or rely on systems that have now been proven to be inaccurate (IAT). Good book to have, but pick and choose where you spend your time.

[Diana Parparita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely useful even if you are not managing a company. Even though the essays are meant for managers, they are presented in an easy to understand, easy to aplly way that can help with avoiding unconscious biases in the decision-making process regardless of whether you are managing a multi-national corporation or just trying to decide personal plans.

[Olena Sovyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Хотілось би щоб трохи більше статей було із цього десятиліття, адже деякі із них за час після того як вони були надруковані в журналі стали дуже популярними і концепції представлені в них відомі і з інших джерел

[Mojtaba Shayesteh · Rating 5 out of 5]

تصمیم گیری یک فرایند ساختارمند و مهم در هر سازمان است که به صورت تئوری قابلیت اجرا ندارد و می بایست به طور دقیقی برنامه ریزی، پیاده سازی و اجرا شود. تئوری و شهود در تصمیم گیری جایی ندارد و براساس اصول ساختارمند یک تصمیم خوب شکل می گیرد.

[Dustin Blanton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a number of good articles that will inspire reflection on decision making processes and common flaws in decision making. Worth a read for anyone who wants to think about the decision making process and identify possible pitfalls and flaws.

[Umut Pekel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turkish translation is terrible.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent essays be leaders in the decision science and behavioral economics. Highly recommend for anyone interested in decision making.

[Karunakar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

[Sourav Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read for decison makers. Must read to get insights on how our minds work while making decisons at work. Very helpful

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe half the articles are worth reading again.

[Yoav · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of articles, some very useful, some not at all. Mixed, but worthwhile.

[BlackPearl · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Application Needed

Well written to outline what companies do however I would like more information on applying the principles as someone needing to execute.

[Bhanu Pratap · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you have read everthing, then come to this book.