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Becoming AntiFragile: Learning to Thrive through Disruption, Challenge and Change
Are you ready to become AntiFragile?
At a time when disruption, uncertainty, and challenge are amplified to extraordinary levels, understanding how to Become AntiFragile will help us answer the question 'How can we be better from this experience?' with honesty and humility. By Becoming AntiFragile, we can take effective action that makes a difference in our own lives and in the world at large.
The start of this decade has seen unprecedented levels of disruption around the world. The climate change debate, bushfires in Australia, the political fall-out of Brexit in Europe, the US elections and most recently, a global pandemic - coronavirus. The full implications of each of these disruptions are still emerging, but we can be sure that the ripples will be felt for years to come.
Using evidence from neuroscience, psychology and real life experience, this book offers leaders practical guiding principles
- Embrace change rather than resist it
- Lean into challenge rather than avoid it
- Learn to thrive when times get tough
The future is more uncertain than ever. Many leaders are struggling. With this book you won't be one of them.
At a time when disruption, uncertainty, and challenge are amplified to extraordinary levels, understanding how to Become AntiFragile will help us answer the question 'How can we be better from this experience?' with honesty and humility. By Becoming AntiFragile, we can take effective action that makes a difference in our own lives and in the world at large.
The start of this decade has seen unprecedented levels of disruption around the world. The climate change debate, bushfires in Australia, the political fall-out of Brexit in Europe, the US elections and most recently, a global pandemic - coronavirus. The full implications of each of these disruptions are still emerging, but we can be sure that the ripples will be felt for years to come.
Using evidence from neuroscience, psychology and real life experience, this book offers leaders practical guiding principles
- Embrace change rather than resist it
- Lean into challenge rather than avoid it
- Learn to thrive when times get tough
The future is more uncertain than ever. Many leaders are struggling. With this book you won't be one of them.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2020
17 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Paige Williams
2 booksDR PAIGE WILLIAMS is an author, researcher and PhD in Organisational Behaviour. A trusted advisor and mentor to senior leaders across business, government, education and beyond, she uses a potent blend of neuroscience, psychology and her own twenty-plus years of international business leadership experience to surface uncomfortable truths and help leaders see the rules they need to break in order to breakthrough and lead themselves, their teams, and their organisations to thrive.
The results are dramatic and measurable.
Her latest book 'Own It! Honouring and Amplifying Accountability' explores why accountability is the strategic imperative in the post-COVID economic landscape, and how to get it.
For more information and to contact Paige go to drpaigewilliams.com
The results are dramatic and measurable.
Her latest book 'Own It! Honouring and Amplifying Accountability' explores why accountability is the strategic imperative in the post-COVID economic landscape, and how to get it.
For more information and to contact Paige go to drpaigewilliams.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 30, 2020
From the esoteric field of quantitative finance comes a mathematical concept that is widely applicable across many domains. Antifragility is a term that Nassim Taleb and Raphael Douady use to describe systems that are not harmed by but actually benefit from, environmental variability. Businesses that thrive during market evolutions are antifragile compared to those that suffer. Species whose survival rate increases in a changing ecosystem are antifragile compared to those which decline.
Antifragility is an extraordinarily important measure because it moves our thinking beyond the narrow confines of resilience, robustness and survival. It is no longer enough for an organisation to ask “how can we become more resilient to shocks?” They should be asking “how can we learn to thrive in volatile markets?” There is a huge difference.
Dr. Paige Williams approaches the same question, but for individuals. Can you or I become more Antifragile? Can we learn to thrive in uncertainty?
Paige offers readers a roadmap for improving personal antifragility. Drawing on solid research in behavioural science, positive psychology, mindfulness, reflective learning, stoic philosophy, mindset theory and micro-practices; Paige outlines a simple self-development course comprising of a series of heuristics or ‘hacks’ in a very easy-to-read and non-academic format, complete with a terrific on-line self-evaluation report.
In order to judge the book, I asked myself: “will it help the reader become more antifragile in the following conditions:”
- uncertainty about employment?
- uncertainty about a family member with Covid?
- uncertainty about basic survival and safety if their country falls into deep economic depression and social unrest?
Before answering that I need to raise a small criticism: the potential for readers to mistakingly believe that antifragility is some sort of absolute state that one can attain (careful reading of the book will avoid this mistake).
Fragility/Antifragility is a measure of performance within certain thresholds. Dinosaurs were antifragile up to a point. One can become more antifragile to particular conditions, but not absolutely antifragile.
To become more antifragile in the circumstances outlined above, one would need to benefit as uncertainty increases. Facing unemployment, one would need to improve one’s employability. Facing the potential loss of a family member, one would need to improve their ability to provide support and deal with grief. Facing societal breakdown, one would need to improve their survival resourcefulness.
Would readers of Paige’s book be equipped to become more antifragile in such circumstances? Probably not, but they would have a very good road map. The practices, attitudes and mindsets presented will require deeper development. For example, there is a small hack for mindfulness (an essential skill), but cultivating mindfulness will require much more training than is scoped in the book. For this, Paige provides a well-curated set of ‘off-ramps' in the reference section.
In summary, Paige has achieved an easy-to-read personal development book that is made for these times.
Antifragility is an extraordinarily important measure because it moves our thinking beyond the narrow confines of resilience, robustness and survival. It is no longer enough for an organisation to ask “how can we become more resilient to shocks?” They should be asking “how can we learn to thrive in volatile markets?” There is a huge difference.
Dr. Paige Williams approaches the same question, but for individuals. Can you or I become more Antifragile? Can we learn to thrive in uncertainty?
Paige offers readers a roadmap for improving personal antifragility. Drawing on solid research in behavioural science, positive psychology, mindfulness, reflective learning, stoic philosophy, mindset theory and micro-practices; Paige outlines a simple self-development course comprising of a series of heuristics or ‘hacks’ in a very easy-to-read and non-academic format, complete with a terrific on-line self-evaluation report.
In order to judge the book, I asked myself: “will it help the reader become more antifragile in the following conditions:”
- uncertainty about employment?
- uncertainty about a family member with Covid?
- uncertainty about basic survival and safety if their country falls into deep economic depression and social unrest?
Before answering that I need to raise a small criticism: the potential for readers to mistakingly believe that antifragility is some sort of absolute state that one can attain (careful reading of the book will avoid this mistake).
Fragility/Antifragility is a measure of performance within certain thresholds. Dinosaurs were antifragile up to a point. One can become more antifragile to particular conditions, but not absolutely antifragile.
To become more antifragile in the circumstances outlined above, one would need to benefit as uncertainty increases. Facing unemployment, one would need to improve one’s employability. Facing the potential loss of a family member, one would need to improve their ability to provide support and deal with grief. Facing societal breakdown, one would need to improve their survival resourcefulness.
Would readers of Paige’s book be equipped to become more antifragile in such circumstances? Probably not, but they would have a very good road map. The practices, attitudes and mindsets presented will require deeper development. For example, there is a small hack for mindfulness (an essential skill), but cultivating mindfulness will require much more training than is scoped in the book. For this, Paige provides a well-curated set of ‘off-ramps' in the reference section.
In summary, Paige has achieved an easy-to-read personal development book that is made for these times.
August 23, 2025
Becoming anti fragile is such a practical and motivating read. Dr. Paige Williams takes the big idea of antifragility and makes it accessible with tools, models, and exercises you can actually use in daily life and work.
I loved how it focused on leadership, wellbeing, and building resilient mindsets, especially in times of change. This book also sparked my curiosity to go deeper into the roots of the concept. It actually motivated me to pick up Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s Antifragile, so I could understand the original philosophy behind the ideas Williams brings to life so well.
I loved how it focused on leadership, wellbeing, and building resilient mindsets, especially in times of change. This book also sparked my curiosity to go deeper into the roots of the concept. It actually motivated me to pick up Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s Antifragile, so I could understand the original philosophy behind the ideas Williams brings to life so well.
September 6, 2020
Great summary
I really enjoyed this book. It was a great blend of theory, a story and practical hints tips and guidelines to becoming antifragile. This book is highly topical both now and in to the future. Antifragility and the mindset and skill sets that sir behind it, help us not only just cope but thrive.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a great blend of theory, a story and practical hints tips and guidelines to becoming antifragile. This book is highly topical both now and in to the future. Antifragility and the mindset and skill sets that sir behind it, help us not only just cope but thrive.
November 28, 2021
Excellent book
Another one in the list, anybody could use with purpose of lifting, evolving and creating. Discover new ways to approach change and understand why change isn't happening. Those are clues to a durable progress in behavior, personality and leadership. Excellent book.
Another one in the list, anybody could use with purpose of lifting, evolving and creating. Discover new ways to approach change and understand why change isn't happening. Those are clues to a durable progress in behavior, personality and leadership. Excellent book.
November 10, 2023
It was a good light reading that lead me to read the actual book by Nasim Nicholas Taleb.
Read
April 13, 2025I finally picked this up again after reading the first chapter last January, and finished it in a day. Lots of practical tools in becoming antifragile. Took lots of notes to ponder and reflect upon.
January 13, 2021
A well constructed and practical read
A well constructed distillation of leadership theory and a unique take on thriving through what the author calls 'the decade of disruption'. The writing style invites an easy camaraderie with what can be sometime dense and complex material. Williams brings an easy to read practicality to the work, adding personal stories, case studies, images, exercises, and chapter summaries. She's not afraid to pick theories apart and reframe or challenge them through the filter of becoming AntiFragile. And she also issues the reader the final challenge - to move from becoming to being AntiFragile, providing a roadmap to help you along the way.
Though many of the concepts are familiar from my own leadership coaching work, there are plenty of new and interesting concepts and practices to keep you turning the pages. Williams has delivered a user-friendly guide to thriving in today's fraught leadership space.
A thoughtful and practical read.
A well constructed distillation of leadership theory and a unique take on thriving through what the author calls 'the decade of disruption'. The writing style invites an easy camaraderie with what can be sometime dense and complex material. Williams brings an easy to read practicality to the work, adding personal stories, case studies, images, exercises, and chapter summaries. She's not afraid to pick theories apart and reframe or challenge them through the filter of becoming AntiFragile. And she also issues the reader the final challenge - to move from becoming to being AntiFragile, providing a roadmap to help you along the way.
Though many of the concepts are familiar from my own leadership coaching work, there are plenty of new and interesting concepts and practices to keep you turning the pages. Williams has delivered a user-friendly guide to thriving in today's fraught leadership space.
A thoughtful and practical read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews