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by Radu Atanasiu, خسرو معصومی (Translator)

This book discusses critical thinking as a tool for more compassionate leadership, presenting tried and tested methods for managing disagreement, for anticipating and solving problems, and for enhancing empathy. Employing a lighter tone of voice than most management books, it also shows how and when less-than-rational mechanisms such as intuition and heuristics may be efficient decision-making tools in any manager’s toolbox.   Critical thinking is useful for analyzing incoming information in the context of decision-making and is crucial for structuring outgoing information in the context of persuasion. When trying to convince a client to buy a service, an executive board to fund a project, or a colleague to change a procedure, managers can use the simple step-by-step guides provided here to prepare for successful meetings and effective pitches. Managerial thinking can be steadily improved, using a structured process, especially if we learn to think about our thinking. This book guides current and would-be managers through this process of improving and metathinking, in connection with decision-making and persuasion. Using examples from business, together with research insights from Behavioral Economics and from Management and Organizational Cognition, the author illustrates common pitfalls like hidden assumptions and cognitive biases, and provides easy-to-use solutions for testing hypotheses and resolving dilemmas. 

368 pages, Paperback

Reviews

[Elena Calistru · Rating 5 out of 5]

O carte excelentă pentru oricine vrea să ia decizii mai bune și mai raționale (și nu doar își închipuie că deja e acolo). Cu exemple concrete, mult research în spate și o doză mare de empatie.

[Paul Hartog · Rating 4 out of 5]

For most of my life I have been into critical thinking unaware that it is a movement and has a name. During the last decade I have been devouring anything I could lay my hands upon including some online courses (Moocs) of which the first one was taught by Radu Atanasiu. I was happily surprised that he published a book and I am eager to share what I think of it. My general impression is that it delivers what it promises; it is a how-to guide on critical thinking for managers. Although it is a very serious subject it is written in a pleasant, engaging and easy-to-read style and is larded with some fun, enlightening and sometimes challenging intermezzos. The book has a certain focus on decision making and pursuasion as the subtitle discloses and it is a very efficient pick from the vast world of critical thinking for practical use by managers.
Amongst many other things it offers tested methods that support a sharper analyses of info received which may lead to better decisions, and structuring outgoing info in order to persuade others.

Amongst other subjects the book covers;
- false assumptions to be the mother of failing projects and four interesting techniques to steer away from them.
- the use of the scientific method for testing business assumptions; may sound tough to some, but is very do-able for all.
- decision-making as a result of a ‘dance’ of reason, intuition and emotion and advice when/how to trust gut-feeling.
- cognitive biases which screw up good decisions ; probably the most popular subject in critical thinking.
- decision making using a design thinking method avant-le-lettre.
- decision making in groups using the interesting RAPID-model.
- problem solving using a simple sequential method to go about it, even touching double loop learning(!).
- one-on-one persuasion supported by a simple step-by-step approach.
- debating using the Sexi how-to approach.
- fallacies and how to avoid/tackle them; probably the second best popular subject in critical thinking.
- Fair-play principles; I particularly liked the emphasis on empathy. Hard on issues, soft on people!

The book is topped off with a chapter called ‘The courage to change your mind’ and this probably describes why managers would be attracted to this book in the first place.
Hope this review helps!

[Dan Penciu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The language and tone of the book are friendly, fluent, and even catchy, somewhat unexpected given the topic.

In my opinion, as an entrepreneur, the book is an excellent managerial instrument offering valuable ideas on how to find your unconscious assumptions and test them before jumping to implementation or investments.

The discussion about the impact of reasons, emotions, and intuition on our decisions is something I did not encounter in any other book on the topic, and I have particularly enjoyed it. But, can we really make the distinction between rational, emotional, or intuitive?

The exciting idea I will try in problem-solving is to force myself (😁) to articulate the decision process in writing (objective, timeline, alternatives, criteria, biases, etc.).

Finally, the chapter on the courage to change your mind was particularly inspiring and relevant to the clutching ideas and the stubbornness of modern society's dialog.

I recommend the book without hesitation!

[Andika Lesmana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bacaan PA EE 2. Enak dibaca ga ribet.

[Mahdi Majidzadeh · Rating 3 out of 5]

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