Decisive: How to make better choices in life and work

by Chip Heath

CHAPTER FIVE IN ONE PAGE Consider the Opposite 1. Confirmation bias = hunting for information that confirms our initial assumptions (which are often self-serving). The hubris of CEOs can be counteracted by disagreement. We need the same disagreement to counteract our confirmation bias. 2. We need to spark constructive disagreement within our organizations. The devil’s advocate, murder boards, and The Gong Show all license skepticism. How can we? Roger Martin’s brilliant question: “What would have to be true for this option to be the very best choice?” 3. To gather more trustworthy information, we can ask disconfirming questions. Law students: “Who were the last three associates to leave the firm? What are they doing now? How can I contact them?” iPod buyers: “What problems does the iPod have?” 4. Caution: Probing questions can backfire in situations with a power dynamic. Doctors are wiser to use open-ended questions. “What do you mean by ‘dizzy’?” 5. Extreme disconfirmation: Can we force ourselves to consider the opposite of our instincts? A marriage diary helps a frustrated spouse see that his/her partner isn’t always selfish. “Assuming positive intent” spurs us to interpret someone’s actions/words in a more positive light. 6. We can even test our assumptions with a deliberate mistake. Schoemaker’s firm won $1 million in business by experimenting with the RFP process. One woman actually married her “mistake.” 7. Because we naturally seek self-confirming information, we ne...